


Talia Xanatos: The Other Timeline

by emyy250



Category: Gargoyles (TV)
Genre: Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2019-05-19 21:28:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 35,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14881532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emyy250/pseuds/emyy250
Summary: Instead of the show taking place in 2016, the show already happened and now it's 2016. There are some differences between this and the original. Talia has been thrown into the Xanatos lifestyle and excepted to treat these strangers as her family.Note: This was published on 10/17/2016 and is ongoing.





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Talia

Alex's POV

"Hey, Dad. I came as soon I could." I walked into the hospital room.

"Alex, this is Talia. Talia, meet your big brother." Dad said.

"What?" We asked then looked at each other.

"Mister Xanatos has decided to adopt Talia because she has no guardian." Owen told me.

"Mom?" I looked at her.

"I'm ok with it." She smiled.

"For fuck's sake! You're crazy. That's it, I'm out." Talia started to tug on the tubes and wires. Dad and Owen stopped her.

"What happened exactly?" I asked.

"She snuck into the castle and tried to jump off it." Mom said.

I nodded. One of the gargoyles must have caught her. "She got past Owen?"

"Unfortunately." He said.

"You're slacking." I laughed. "How did she get all the way up?"

"Dumb luck. Right up until the end. Then that weird drone caught me." She slouched.

I raised my eyebrow. Mom just shrugged. Did one of the Steel Clan catch her?

"Talia, don't pull these out again." Dad warned her.

"I'm 16! My birthday's next month. I'm almost an adult." She hissed.

"But not yet." Dad smiled in his way. "Don't take these out again."

"Fine." She huffed.

"Good." He nodded and stood.

We went out into the hall. "She thinks Goliath is an animatronic drone covered in synthetic flesh. That may be something I might look into."

"But it's been years since the clan was exposed to New York." I said.

"That's her mother's fault. She basically hid her from the modern world and especially from the news about them. From what I gathered, Talia stopped going to school after 5th grade and was homeschooled until her neighbors reported her missing and her mother dead a year ago. But she doesn't remember what happened." Dad explained.

"Why are you adopting her?" I wondered.

"I don't believe dumb luck got her to the castle. I really don't want that skill to go to waste." He smiled.

"And if it was?" I questioned.

"Then we have a daughter. And you have someone else to play your tricks on." He smirked.

"A little sister doesn't sound too bad." I smiled.

"I'm not your daughter or your sister! You people are the worst at being quiet." Talia yelled.

"I wanted you to hear that." Dad said coolly.

"Fuck you, David." She replied.

"She has a temper." I said.

"Just like a gargoyle we know." Mom whispered. I smiled.

It was weeks before she was allowed to come home. Goliath and the clan stayed hidden until she ready to learn about them. She didn't believe it at first. Not until I used a few spells.

"Ok, ok. Enough!" She shouted, struggling to get out of the princess dress I put her in.

"Alexander, let her go." Goliath rumbled. I still found his voice intimidating even after all we've been through.

"She's not hurt." I said as the dress and jewels I summoned disappeared. I still kept the silver tiara on her head.

"I see why you get girlfriends now." Talia snorted as she looked at the tiara.

"You are older than her, Alex. Older brothers are supposed care for their siblings. Not mock them." Goliath growled.

"I'm sorry, Talia." I sighed.

"I'm only 3 years younger than him!" She frowned.

"4." I corrected.

"I'm about to turn 17." She reminded me.

"Talia, Alex apologized." Dad told her.

"Apology considered! I'm going for a walk." She left.

"She was getting overwhelmed. We will introduce ourselves later." Goliath left too.

"Goliath's right, you know. You're a big brother now." Dad told me.

"I'll do better." I sighed.

"Just give her a little time. She'll adjust." He smiled.

"Hey." Aunt Elisa walked in.

"Elisa!" I hugged her.

"Hey, Alex." She hugged back.

"Goliath told me you're adopting the jumper that snuck into Castle Wyvern." She looked at Dad.

"Her name is Talia." I said.

"She'll be her own guardian by next year." She pointed out.

"I know, detective." He smiled.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Where is she?"

"She went for a walk. You must have missed her." He said, pointing toward the door.

"Poor kid must be shock." She said.

"Oh, you just missed Goliath as well." Dad added.

She glared. "Great."

Alex's POV End

Talia's POV

Where am I? I looked inside one of the open rooms and saw instruments. I walked inside and picked up the guitar. Strumming it, I found it was well kept. I played as well as I could with no pick. Someone was watching me and I looked up. It was a gargoyle, a green one.

"Don't stop. You were doing great." He insisted.

"You're… one of Goliath's clan." I said.

"Lexington. And you're Xanatos' new daughter." He walked in.

"I wish I wasn't." I sighed.

"You're lucky you met him now instead back in '94." Lex chuckled.

"'94?" I asked.

"He was much more villainous back then." He explained.

"Great, my new guardian is a villain." I took the guitar off and put it back.

"He was really bad. He-" Lex started to talk.

"There you are, Talia. Come on, let's go." Owen stood in the doorway.

"What, where?" I asked.

"To the dining room" He said.

"Why?" I said.

"Mister Xanatos wants to see you." He explained.

"Fine." I followed him.

"Bye!" Lex called after us.

He led to my room and David was there with Fox and Alex. "Thank you, Owen."

"So, what's this about?" I looked at them.

"Tomorrow, we're going on a family outing." David announced.

"… This is because I tried to die on your property, isn't it?" I sighed.

"Talia, you're a part of this family." He said.

"Last time I checked, I wasn't." I glared at him.

"It's been weeks since you left the hospital." He smirked.

"But it takes…" I frowned.

"Longer? For normal people, yes. For me?  _No._ " David had a satisfied look on his face.

"… Fuck you." I growled.

"Try not to say that in public." He said dismissively.

"I hope you catch fire in Hell." I crossed my arms.

"Talia." Fox warned.

"Whatever." I snorted.

Alex laughed. "You're still mad about being adopted, aren't you, Tai?"

Before I could think, I stormed up to him. "Look, rich boy, I don't belong here. This is your home. I don't remember why I was taken from my home, but I have a home."

"Talia, you know the bank took your old home." David said.

"It was mine! I was alive!" I shouted.

"You were missing." He stated.

"I was alive." I went silent.

"C'mere, Tai." Alex pulled me into a hug.

"No, let me go. Did you dump an entire thing of Axe onto yourself?" I demanded, struggling to get out.

"I did not, little princess." He said while still holding me.

"I'm 5 feet tall! You Xanatoses are giants. And stop calling me princess." I tried to glare at him.

"I know it doesn't feel like home yet, but you have to let go of the past." Alex said.

"Let go!" I repeated.

"Say please." He said.

" _Pl_ ease let me go." I sighed.

"That wasn't so hard, was it, Tai?" He pulled back.

"You're still touching me." I motioned to his hand on my shoulder.

"And?" He asked.

"David, your son's being a jerk." I looked at the old billionaire.

"He's your brother, Talia." The brunette told me with a smirk.

"Trying to get Dad to scold me? It's going to a lot more than that, kiddo." He took his hand off my shoulder and as I moved, he picked me up.

"You've got to be kidding me!" I cried.

"You're so tiny." He cooed. "You really are a little princess."

"I'm not tiny!" I growled.

Talia's POV End

Owen's POV

"They're getting along well." Fox said to her husband.

"Alex is smart to get her frustrations directed onto him so she won't focus on the past, but that won't work forever." Xanatos noted. "Owen?"

"Yes, sir?" I asked.

"Did your research go well?" He asked.

"Yes, sir, the files are on your desk." I answered.

"Excellent." He smiled.

Alex was still holding Talia. She had her sliver tiara on, or more accurately Alex had put it on her, and was loudly complaining that she wasn't a princess. He ignored her and looked at his parents.

"Don't you think Talia's tiara looks good on her?" He asked.

"Sliver is a good color with her hair." Fox smiled.

"Much better than gold." Xanatos agreed. "Wouldn't you agree, Owen?"

"She looks lovely, sir." I told him.

Talia took a breath and settled down for the time being. "Hey, David, why did you adopt me?"

"Because it was in our best interest." He said.

"Our as in your family?" I asked.

"And yours." He said.

"Hmm." I hummed. "You want something from me."

"Not exactly. How did you get into the castle unnoticed?" He smiled.

"I…" She paused and tried to figure it out. "Dumb luck?"

"I don't believe it was dumb luck, Talia." He said with a glimmer in his eyes.

"You adopted me because I snuck into the castle?!" She was getting worked up again. "What kind of fool does that? And you put me down!" She hissed at Alex.

"Owen, take her to her room. She's clearly been up too long." He handed her to me.

"Yes, Alexander." I put her down after we got in the hall and led her to her room.

"Owen?" She tested the weight of my name.

"Yes?" I asked.

"I don't belong here." She said.

"I understand you're overwhelmed by everything." I replied.

"The clan sleeps during the day, right?" She asked.

"Yes, but Coldstone and Coldfire are awake during the day. The cyborg and android gargoyles." I answered.

"Cy- Cyb- Nevermind." She frowned.

"You're not planning to jump again, are you?" I asked.

She glared at me confused. "I was just asking when they sleep, Jesus. Are you always so morbid?"

"You've attempted suicide before, Talia." I told her.

"… I chose the wrong building." She slammed the door in my face.

"I think you chose well, Talia." I said almost inaudibly and went back to my employer. He allowed me to go with Alex.

We went to his old room and I turned into Puck.

"Why didn't let me tell her about you?" He asked.

"She was already overwhelmed by what you did." I told him.

"I didn't mean to." He frowned. "Oh, yeah." He smiled.

"What?" I asked.

"She has magic. It's really faint, but maybe we could coax it out." Alex said.

"Could you tell whose it was?" I asked.

"Um… It was… Yours." He thought.

Puck's POV End


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A long day

Puck's POV

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Positive. I know it anywhere." He nodded.

"She's younger than you so I must have taken you with me, but I… Oh no." My jaw fell as I remembered.

"What is it?" Alex asked.

"I was teaching you healing magic and I saved a baby's life." I said.

"Oberon's law." Alex scoffed.

"Alex, you don't understand. That baby was supposed to die that night. She was so close to death. I enticed her soul to stay. Her magic is keeping her alive. When it dies, she does too." I explained.

"How do we make it stronger?" He asked.

"We have to train her." I said.

"Puck?" He looked at me.

"Yes?" I looked at him.

"We need to have to Lord Oberon alter the bounds to your punishment." He said. "I have college and she has no way to defend herself right now."

"We'll do it in a little bit. She needs to have some time to adjust before we drop this on her." I told him.

"Right. So, what are you teaching me tonight?" Alex asked.

I smiled.

Puck's POV End

Talia's POV

"Talia, breakfast time." Owen called through the door.

"Ugh." I grunted.

I lied in bed for a few minutes before getting up and dressed. I walked out and Owen was still there. I followed him to the dining room and sat down.

"Thank you, Owen. Talia, eat your breakfast. We're going to leave in a little bit." David sipped his coffee.

"Where's the rat poison? I wanna start my day off right." I asked.

"I have a strict no-rat-poison-for-breakfast policy." David said casually.

"Hmm." I hummed as I chewed my toast. Breakfast was toast and eggs.

"Alex, how's school going?" Fox asked.

"It's good." He said.

I zoned out after that and finished my breakfast. Then we went down to the limo and Owen drove us to the high end part of town. We got out and there were people already taking pictures.

"Stay close, Talia. I know someone will try and "interview" you." David said.

"About… Oh." I frowned.

"Let's get inside." Fox said and we went in the store.

It turned out to be a dress store. I scowled. Alex laughed.

"Talia, we have charity events and parties to go to." David said.

"That's your problem." I said.

"I adopted you." He reminded me.

"Your son-" I gestured to Alex.

"Your brother." David frowned.

"He's going to take over the business, isn't he? Let's face it, you gave me your name for nothing. I'm just a failure. I'm not a good investment at all." I told him while trying to find a way around Alex and Owen. They made a strange wall. One was a lean, suited man, the other was a buff, spoiled rich kid.

"You've had a rough start-" David said.

I scoffed.

"But that doesn't mean you're a failure. You're 16. You're young. There's still time." He finished.

I kept quiet.

"Being suicidal isn't your fault, Tai." Alex said softly.

"You don't know shit." I crossed my arms.

"It's not your fault." He repeated.

I frowned and looked away. Alex hugged me. I didn't try to pull away. This hug wasn't of a teasing nature. He actually wanted to comfort me.

"Do I have a "Hug me" sign taped to me?" I asked dryly after a minute.

"I can't help it. You're tiny and cute." He cooed.

"I'm not tiny." I huffed, trying to keep my frown intact as Fox and David watched us.

"You keep telling yourself that, Tai." Alex smirked.

"Whatever, rich boy." I said snarkily.

"If you two are done cuddling, we have dresses to shop for." David smiled at us.

I shoved Alex away and shoved my face into the nearest rack to hide my blush. "David's just teasing you, Talia." Fox called.

"I guessed that." I mumbled.

"Talia, those dresses are for taller women." Owen told me.

"Thanks, Owen." I sighed and went back to the Xanatoses.

I tried on lots of dresses. Everyone agreed it was best if I didn't show too much skin. That narrowed it down a little. Fox decided simple but elegant was the best choice. I agreed and we got the ones I liked. David would have them delivered.

When we left the store, the news had spread that the Xanatoses were having a day out and the paparazzi swarmed us. Owen got in front and pushed them out of the way. I was shoved in the middle.

"Mister Xanatos, Mister Xanatos! Is it true that your daughter, Talia, attempted suicide?" Someone asked.

"No comment." He said.

"Mister Xanatos, is she here with you today?" Another asked.

I looked at Alex and he shrugged.

"Alexander! How do you feel about having a sister?" Someone else shouted.

As we walked, some fans had the guts to grab at us. One of them scratched me. "Ow!"

"Was that Talia?" A cameraman asked.

We got in the limo and Owen drove off.

"Someone scratched me." I frowned.

"Where? Let me see." Fox looked at my arm. "Oh, David, look at this. She's bleeding."

I saw my arm was an irritated red and the scratches were bloody.

"Are you sure it was a person?" Alex asked.

"It couldn't have been anything else." I frowned.

"David, you have enough. Help me." Fox scolded him.

"I need these for evidence. C'mere, Talia." He wiped my scratches with alcohol wipes.

"Ow." I hissed.

"You'll be fine, kiddo." David told me.

"You sound evil when you say kiddo." I told him.

"What?" He asked.

"Is that the voice Goliath insisted you had when you guys didn't get along?" Alex asked his dad.

"What has Goliath been telling you?" David looked at his son.

"David, finish cleaning Talia's scratches." Fox reminded him.

He finished what he was doing and bandaged my arm. "I want ice cream. I got hurt, and I never would have if you hadn't adopted me so gimme ice cream."

"She has a point." Alex said.

"… Owen, what's open right now?" He asked.

"There's McDonald's-" Owen started.

"No, Owen, we're not going to McDonald's ever again." David frowned.

I looked at Alex. "There was something in his burger. He won the lawsuit."

"Of course he did." I said.

"Talia, you're getting a milkshake. What flavor do you want?" David asked.

"Uh, chocolate." I said.

"I'll be right back, sir." Owen got out of the car.

We waited and after a few minutes, he came back with my milkshake. I took it and sipped it. It wasn't all frozen so I could actually drink it. Then we stopped at a store so I could have more clothes. I had the weirdest feeling that people were watching me as I picked out clothes. I didn't like it.

"Talia, where are you?" Fox asked.

I was picking out jeans. Right in front of her. What did she mean "where was I?"

"Alex, did you make her invisible?" She turned to her son.

"What, no. Why would I?" He frowned.

"Then where did she go?" She asked.

"I don't know. Maybe she went somewhere else." He snapped.

"I'm right here." I said.

"Talia! Where did you go?" Fox scolded.

"I was over there." I pointed to the jeans.

"Hmm." Alex hummed.

"Stay where we can see you." She reprimanded me.

"Ok." I said.

After we got all the clothes David allowed, we were going to pay when I saw a stuffed fox. It was cute.

"What you lookin' at, Tai?" Alex asked, smiling.

"Nothin'." I said.

"Really? Because I think you were looking at something, over there." He walked over and I tried to stop him, but he just dragged me along. "Are you even trying to stop me? I don't think you are."

"I am too." I hooked my foot around his leg and made him stumble off course.

"You're no gargoyle, that's for sure." He laughed and continued on.

"If I squeeze your tummy, will you laugh?" I asked.

"That's a weird way to ask to hug someone." He smiled.

"That's not what I asked." I told him.

He just kept quiet and grinned as we got to the section where the fox was. He hummed and looked over the toys. "Was it… this one?" He pulled the toy next to the fox. "Hmm, no? What about this one?" He pulled the other one next to it.

I realized he wouldn't stop until I told him what I wanted and I saw some cute girls coming. "I want the fox."

"What was that?" Alex smiled.

"I want the fox!" I said through my teeth.

"This fox?" He picked it up.

"Yes, that fox!" I tried to grab it.

"Why didn't you say so?" He asked, still smiling.

"Yeah, ok, whatever. Let's go." I knew they were getting closer.

"We better not keep Mom and Dad waiting." He agreed.

He walked as slow as possible and he had an iron grip on my hand. I was going to get seen holding Alex's hand! I sighed and gave up.

"You're giving up like that?" Alex asked.

I smirked and took my hand back. He smiled and nuzzled me. "Ah, no! Stop!"

"You're a little trickster, aren't you?" He asked happily.

"I made a mistake!" I cried.

"No, you didn't. I can't wait to tell Mom and Dad how you tricked me." He picked me up and carried back to them. The girls giggled as they passed us.

"I can't win." I sighed.

"There you are. We were about send Owen after you two." David smiled.

"She tricked me!" Alex announced.

"She did?" Owen raised an eyebrow. I didn't think he was capable of that.

"I just feigned hopelessness and got him to loosen his grip on my hand. Not that it did me any good." I frowned.

"That's quite an accomplishment, Talia." Fox smiled.

"A little worrying that you can feign such an emotion so easily." David thought.

"Like you don't lie through your teeth all day." I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, she wanted this fox." Alex put it in the cart.

David looked at it and smiled at me. What was so… Oh, I get it. Damn it. He paid for the clothes and the fox. Alex gave me the fox as we walked outside. Like before, there were paparazzi waiting for us. Unlike before, they could see me now and they were trying to get me to look at them.

"Talia, Talia!" Someone yelled.

"Don't look at them." Alex whispered.

"Do you think I like having to smell your Axe?" I asked.

"Alexander, why are you carrying your sister?" Another person shouted.

"Talia, do you like living with the Xanatoses?" Someone else asked.

"Talia, did Alexander bully you into letting him carry you?" A female voice asked.

"Excuse me?" David stopped.

"Nicky Johnson with Girl Power magazine. Now, Talia, be honest,-" She started.

"No." I said.

"What?" She asked.

"He didn't bully me. That was your question, wasn't it?" I asked.

"Yes, but…" She frowned.

"Nope, that was your turn." I told her before hiding my face again.

All the paparazzi were clamoring for my attention now. We got to the limo and got in. I sighed and slumped in my seat. "Hey, David."

"Yes?" He asked.

"Can I have plastic surgery?" I asked.

"No." He frowned.

"Owen, crash the car." I called up front.

"Talia, there is nothing you can do that will make me even consider endangering you." Owen told me.

I pouted and reevaluated my options. I had to get out of Manhattan, that was a given. Or die quickly. It was going to be hard with my new last name. This was so much easier when I was homeless.

"Talia, you're my daughter now." David said. "I know you're upset right now, but you're a Xanatos. You just don't see it yet." He smiled.

"Whatever." I said.

He took us out to a Chinese place for lunch and it was good. After lunch, we went and I got a new phone. Then we went home. I cut all the tags off my new clothes and charged my phone. I basically had nothing to do until dinnertime.

"C'mon, Tai, let's go to the game room." Alex called from the hall.

"You have a game room?" I asked, looking out into the hall.

"Of course we do." He smiled.

"I forgot you're rich." I followed him. Playing games was better than nothing.

"Stop talking about me like we're strangers." He said.

"Bitch, this is the first time we've spent time together." I reminded.

"And stop swearing, little princess. It's unbecoming." He said.

"Again with the princess! Just because you were born with a sliver spoon in your mouth, doesn't mean you're a prince." I frowned.

"I'm not prince because of our parent's wealth; I'm prince because of our grandmother." He smirked.

"… I'm pretty sure that title stops at you. I'm not related to you." I wasn't going to argue about the unfairness about it.

"And Dad adopted you so I'm your big brother now and you're my little sister." Alex opened the door to a room and there was a bunch of consoles hooked up to a TV facing a couch.

"You don't act like a big brother." I sat on the couch.

"How so?" He turned on the Xbox and picked up the controller.

"Big brothers don't dote on their sisters. They usually ignore them or tease them. And you are very huggy. Like I don't think I've ever been hugged so much in one day." I said.

"Why would I ignore you?" He asked.

"I dunno. Because you're bored of me." I shrugged.

"You're too cute to ignore, Tai." He smiled and pulled me closer to him so he could kiss the top of my head. "Even when you're pouting. I like my version of a big brother better."

"I'm so glad we're not in public right now." I jabbed him with my elbow. "Hey, go to Youtube for a minute."

"Why?" He let me go.

"I wanna see something." I said.

"Ok…" He did what I said.

I typed in my name and hit search. Videos from the morning appeared with titles like "First sighting of Talia Xanatos" and "Super cute: Alex Xanatos hugging his sister Talia Xanatos."

"Oh yeah. People are probably going crazy now that they've finally seen you." Alex said, clicking on "Super cute: Alex Xanatos hugging his sister Talia Xanatos."

It was of us at the store when Alex tried to embarrass me. I pulled my hand away and then it zoomed in on Alex nuzzling me. The person behind the camera "aww-ed". Then it zoomed out as they got closer and Alex picked me up. It ended after a bit of squealing that Alex was being cute.

"I can't wait to see the fan art of you carrying other girls." I snarked.

"Oh, there's already some. But there's probably going to a revival now." He exited Youtube and went to his game.

"How many do you think I'll be in?" I asked.

"I dunno. Probably some. They've been drawing me for years." He looked at me. "You're lucky, kiddo. Your childhood wasn't on the news."

"But the rest of my life is." I said.

"It'll be fine. Hey, wanna go see the Clan wake up? Now now, but in a bit." Alex smiled.

"Sure." I answered.

I ended up playing with him and I was getting good when his watch beeped. "Oh, it's time. We won't make it if we walk, but…" He smiled as his eyes glowed green and suddenly, we were on a turret.

"When the fuck did I get this coat?" I looked at the tan trench coat that was on me.

"Just a minute ago. Shh, sunset's almost over." Alex smiled.

I walked over to, I think it was Goliath, yup I was right. It started to rain and thunder. I peered over the side and saw the other gargoyles farther down. Cracking stone caught my attention and I looked at Goliath. His eyes glowed white and he stretched, shedding all the stone skin, and roared. I heard other roars below us.

"Talia?" Goliath asked, looking at me.

"Alex brought me." I explained.

"I see." He hummed and I felt it in my chest.

"Talia, Goliath. Goliath, my little sister, Talia." He stepped out from behind.

I shot him a look. He smirked.

"It's nice to meet you again, Talia." Goliath said.

"Again?" I asked.

"I caught you when you jumped off the building." He explained.

"I was kinda poisoned then so forgive me if I don't remember." I smiled.

Goliath looked at Alex. "She had bleach in her system."

I was about to quip "Not enough" but the tall gargoyle seemed horrified as it was. Did gargoyles not… Most animals don't commit suicide, nevermind.

"Goliath, what's taking- Oh, hey, Alex." A red gargoyle flew up and landed next to him.

"Brooklyn, this is Talia. Alexander's new sister." He gestured to me.

"Hi." I said.

"Nice to meet you." He said.

"Let's go meet the others before they leave." Alex told me.

"'Kay." I looked over the side and all the gargoyles had gone somewhere.

"Talia." Alex frowned.

"I wasn't gonna jump." I walked over to him.

"It's too soon." He said and we went to the others.

There was a light brown gargoyle watching TV with a blue dog beast lying beside him. The dog sniffed the air and walked up to Alex, asking for pets.

"Hey, Bronx." He rubbed Bronx's ears.

"Alex?" The gargoyle in the chair asked.

"It's me, Hudson. I'm home." He answered. "Go say hi to Hudson, kiddo."

"I'm not that old, Alex. Who's this lass?" Hudson got up and walked up to us. Bronx whined and I petted him. He licked my arm.

"Talia." I said as Alex said "My little sister."

"This is Xanatos's new daughter, Talia." Goliath interjected.

"Ah. Your eyes, they're unusual, lass." Hudson squinted.

"They've always had splotches of brown in them." I said.

"Hudson's right. The green looks…" Brooklyn trailed off and I looked at Alex. He smiled at me.

"What?" I asked.

"It's nothing, kiddo." He lied.

"You're just like your dad." I said.

"You mean like a manipulative schemer or an amoral businessman?" Brooklyn asked.

"Hmm, it's more like amoral, manipulative scheming businessman." I smiled.

Alex frowned.

"I welcome you to your legacy." I mockingly bowed to him. "You have some work to do."

"She's teasing you, Alexander." Goliath reassured him.

"I know. You're ruthless, Tai." He told me.

I smiled.

"I think Dad made the right choice." He smiled back at me.

My face fell.

"Business isn't really my thing. It's not in my veins." I said.

"What do you like to do?" He asked.

I wondered whether to answer seriously or not. Before I could, more gargoyles came in. A fat one, a purple female, a… A lot of them.

"Hey, Goliath." The fat one waved and went to the kitchen.

"Broadway, come back." He said.

"Uh, sure." Broadway paused.

"What is it, Father?" The purple one asked.

"Alex wanted his sister to meet you all." He said.

"Talia?" Lexington asked.

"Yes." Goliath rumbled.

"Hey." I waved.

The purple one walked up to me. "I'm Angela. Goliath is my father. Broadway is my mate."

"Neat." I shook her hand.

"Hi, Talia." Broadway smiled.

I smiled back at him.

"That's my mate, Katana, my son, Nashville, and our daughter, Tachi. She's 8 years old in human years." Brooklyn told me.

"Call me Nash." The blue male with the sword said.

"Kay." I said.

"You forgot Fu-Dog." Tachi told him.

"He'll meet her later. It's a little crowded in here." Brooklyn told her.

"Hey, Talia." Lexington waved.

"Hey." I waved back.

"Alexander, Talia, your father wishes you to come to dinner." Owen spoke up from behind the clan.

"Sorry, Owen. I wanted her to meet the clan." Alex said.

"It's alright." The blond said.

"Have a good night, guys." He smiled.

"Uh, bye." I followed them to the dining room.

Talia's POV End


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sneaking out

Alex left to go back to school so I was only one there besides the gargoyles and the adults for the next few weeks. And it was awful. Without their son, their attention was only focused on me. David made me train everyday with him so I could defend myself. It would be better if I didn't get bruised so much and knocked on my ass every day. Owen was my teacher now and it's not he was a bad teacher; he just had a voice that made me want to sleep if he talked too long. Which was a lot.

Spending time with Fox was weird. She was in the middle of the Xanatoses. She was like David, in that she was smart and cunning, and she was like Alex too, kinder and teasing. Those traits of David's were in Alex, too, but they weren't as dominating. I think Fox was trying to bond with me, but I was exhausted. They all needed to back off.

"C'mon, just one flight." I begged Goliath.

"I don't know, Talia." He hummed.

"I need outside. Without them. You'll be with me." I frowned.

"Father, we could take her." Angela said, gesturing to Broadway.

"Talia cannot defend herself..." Golialth thought.

"Oh my God, not you too!" I groaned and walked out.

"What's wrong, kiddo?" Brooklyn asked.

"I wanna go fly, but Goliath won't let me." I said.

"Ouch." He sympathized.

"It's not fair. David and Fox are watching me 24/7. I need  _out._ " I growled.

"I remember when Alex went through this. Although, he did get more trouble because he used magic on Xanatos." Brooklyn chuckled.

"What, really?" I asked.

"Yeah. A forgetting spell." He smiled.

"I gotta get away from them, man." I sighed.

"You snuck in into the castle, right?" He asked.

"Yeah." I said.

"So, sneak out." He smiled again.

"But I don't know how I did it before." I frowned.

"I'm not supposed to encourage rebellious behavior, Tai. I've already done too much." Brooklyn shrugged.

"Thanks anyway." I left.

"No prob, kid." He waved.

It turns out sneaking out was as easy walking out the front door. Ok, it wasn't that easy. I had to take some money from David because I didn't have any. Then I had to hide my identity or at least, get the stuff to.  _Then_ I was ready to go. Nobody seemed to notice that I walked out the door and I wasn't in my disguise yet. Kinda like at the store when Fox thought I disappeared. Oh well. I wasn't going to about shout at people to notice me.

I put on the sunglasses and one of Alex's hoodies when I had the chance. It was all I could find on such short notice. I chose the plainest one I could find, a red one. It was huge on me. The sleeves flopped around if I moved my arm too much. Fox's clothes were probably more my size, but I doubt that they were what I wanted.

I walked around and found a coffee place. I went inside and it looked clean. But it was dim so I had to take off my glasses.

"Hello, what can I get you?" The cashier asked.

"Uh, give me a minute." I replied.

I looked over the board and chose a caramel latte. He asked for my name and I told him Taylor. I sat at a chair while I waited for my drink. People walked past me and ordered their drinks without pointing me out. My fake name was called and I got my drink and left. I went to put my glasses on and my eyes weren't green and brown anymore. They were brown, fully brown. The green returned as I stared into the dark lenses. I pretended to wipe them off with my sleeve. Is that why no one recognized me?

"What the hell?" I muttered and put the sunglasses back on.

I walked around and drank my latte. Fox said Alex could make people invisible, but changing eye color? That was a different thing. Brooklyn and Hudson said there was unusual about my eyes. Something about the green. Green… Alex's magic was green, almost the same shade as my eyes, but mine were like liquid, and a bit darker. I hummed and sipped my drink.

Could I have magic? Like the kind Alex has. Was I making myself invisible when I didn't want to be seen? I looked at my hand and gathered energy. It was harder than Alex made it look, but he probably had lots of training. My hand glowed green like Alex's magic and I threw my hand out in front of me. An energy blast hit the trash cans and scorched them.

Talia's POV End

Owen's POV

My eyes widened as I hit the mat.

"Owen, you should have dodged that." Mister Xanatos helped me up.

"I just remembered something urgent." I told him.

"It better not be too late to fix." He warned.

"Hopefully not." I walked out of the room.

I texted Alexander. "Talia discovered her powers. We must tell Oberon your request quickly."

He replied imminently. "WHAt?"

Owen's POV End


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Adri and Avalon

Talia's POV

I walked away from the trash cans as fast as I could. I had to experiment more. But not here. And there was no way I was telling anyone about it. I had to go back before David called the cops and they started searching for me. I googled the way back to the castle and went in the building. David was coming out of the elevator and toward me. I held my breath and hoped he wouldn't touch me. I'm not intangible. I accidently bumped him, but he didn't suspect anything. I think. I was in the elevator before I could see.

I made it back to my room and shed my disguise. I checked my eyes. They seemed to be glowing green, but I could suppress it if I tried. I went to Alex's room and put the hoodie back where I got it. Then I went back to my room and took a nap because using magic made me sleepy.

Talia's POV End

Owen's POV

There turned out to be a slight problem. Alexander had still had several projects to due in the next week.

"Alexander, it is imperative that I teach her." I told him. He called me after I texted him the news.

"Don't you think I know that?! Just let me finish these projects. I'll be there after that." He smiled nervously.

"You and I both know that might be too late." I said.

"Where's Talia right now?" He asked.

"Sleeping. She was tired after using her powers." I checked the camera to her room.

"What powers did she use?" He asked.

"I don't know, Alexander. She wasn't in the building when she discovered them." I frowned.

"She snuck out?" He chuckled.

"Yes. We have to get the bounds of my punishment altered before she decides to run away while I can't change into Puck to follow her. Or-" He cut me off.

"I understand, Owen. I just hope she doesn't discover the wrong thing before I get there." Alex frowned.

"I hope so too." I agreed.

"Just do the best you can in the meantime." He told me.

" _My_ best might not be enough." It wasn't going to be easy now that Talia's Halfling blood was active.

"Keep my little sister safe, Owen. I don't care how, just do it." He said sternly.

"Yes, sir." I replied.

Owen's POV End

Talia's POV

I woke up from my nap and wondered where I was before I remembered. I yawned.

"Talia, are you awake?" Owen asked.

"Yeah…" I said.

"Mister Xanatos says there is someone here to see you." Owen informed me.

"Elisa?" I rubbed my eyes.

"An 'Adriana Cason.'" He says.

"Adri?!" I opened the door and look at him.

"Yes." He nodded.

"Where?" I asked.

"Follow me." I follow him to the dining room and there she was.

Her brown hair was longer and crimped. She lit up when she saw me, dark blue eyes sparkling. "Tai!"

"It's really you." I swallowed thickly.

I met her halfway and we hugged. I smiled as she peppered my neck in kisses. She whined as I tilted my head away from her mouth.

"Don't be mean." She pouted.

"I missed you." I kissed her on the lips. Her hand tangled itself in my hair and I tried to pace her, but her excitement was just too infectious.

Her other hand started to travel when someone behind us coughed. I remembered where I was and attempted to pull back, but she traced my lips with her tongue and nibbled and god damn it, she knew me too well.

"My pretty devil…" I said breathlessly as she kissed my neck.

"My naughty angel." She purred.

"Talia, if you're going to have sex, please don't do it right here." Owen told me.

"Fuck off." I said huskily, glaring at him.

"Oh, I love that voice." Adri moaned.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Mmm hmm." She hummed as she unhooked my bra.

"That's not fair, Adri." I said as I took off her shirt.

"What are you going to do?" She taunted.

"You're going to wish you played fair." I smirked as I kissed the top of her breasts while I nudged her hands away from my chest.

"Talia..." She whimpered.

"That's right, beg. Beg for me." I told her.

"T-Tai." She gasped as I pinned her to the floor.

"You don't get to touch." I grinned viciously.

"Hey, Dad, I finished my- Talia?! What are you doing?" Alex shouted.

"Looks like you're going to have to beg later." I kissed her and got up.

"No…" She whined.

"Blame Alex." I glared at him. "I certainly am."

"You're having sex out in the open!" He blushed.

"Owen warned you." David said.

"I like a little risk." I shrugged.

"Dad and Owen were right there!" Alex pointed.

"Ok, yeah, maybe I should have listened to Owen, buzzkill." I put my bra on.

"I'm the buzzkill?" He asked.

"At least, they didn't shout at me." Adriana got up. "Oh, this is my girlfriend, Adriana. Now if you excuse us, I'm gonna go show her around."

"You really were serious about later, weren't you?" Adri asked.

"You know you'll enjoy it." I teased and we left.

Talia's POV End

Owen's POV

"Dad, please don't tell me you were going to let her have sex in middle of the dining room." Alex asked, red faced.

"Alex, you're lucky Talia sees you as her brother. She'll listen to you. Even if she won't admit it." Mister Xanatos smiled.

"I'm gonna go take a cold shower." He left.

"Alright." He called to his adult child. "Owen, have the footage pulled and destroyed. Anyone besides you watching it is to be fired. And make sure to leave some protection where she can reach it."

"Yes, sir. Anything else?" I asked.

"That will be all." He hummed.

"Yes, sir." I said.

Owen's POV End

Alex's POV

"Ok, let's go get Talia before she decides to bang her girlfriend." Puck said.

"Don't remind me." I sighed.

"Remember that you're the prince of Avalon and more importantly, Titania's grandson. That will give you some leeway. But Talia is nothing to him. Be sure to explain her importance quickly." Puck told me as we walked to Talia's room.

"Right." I nodded.

"And make sure Talia doesn't disrespect you." He added.

"Got it." I knocked on Talia's door. "Talia? You in there?"

I heard a sleepy groan and hushed whispering. Talia opened the door with a yawn, luckily wearing a shirt and her girlfriend's pants. "Why'd you wake me up?"

"You got busy fast." Puck quipped, partially invisible.

"Well, we've been making up for-" Talia's eyes flared green and she frowned. "Alex, who's that?" She stepped out and closed the door.

"I'm Puck, Alex's teacher. And hopefully yours soon." He smiled.

"What?" She asked.

"Talia, we know you have magic. Don't worry, Adriana can't hear anything. She doesn't have Fae blood." I explained.

"… Puck, right?" She looked at him.

"Yes." He replied.

"Quick question: Can magic be used sexually? Cause, good lord, I have never been this exhausted before." She yawned.

I blushed.

"Yes, it can, but I would suggest you not have sex until you learn how to control your powers if you're using it instinctually." Puck frowned.

"Felt great though." She smiled.

"Ok, ok. That's enough! Look, Talia, I have to introduce you to Lord Oberon, the king of Fae, so Puck can teach how to use your powers while I'm at school." I explained.

"But Adri just got here." She pointed to the door.

"That may be a problem if he wants you to go to Avalon to make your request." Puck said.

"We have to do this now." I told him.

"What's wrong with Avalon?" Talia asked.

"An hour there is a day here." I explained.

"Can I go back to bed now?" She asked.

"No, I have to introduce you to Lord Oberon while your powers are still fresh." I frowned.

"Fine." She pouted.

We went to my room and we quickly explained the rules. Manners were very important. Basically, Talia would stay quiet unless Oberon said something. I placed my hand on the mirror and called my grandmother and she answered.

Alex's POV End

Talia's POV

"Hello, grandson." A green skinned woman in red answered.

"Hello, grandmother. I have a request for Lord Oberon. May I have an audience with him?" Alex asked.

"My queen, who are you talking to?" A blue skinned man came into the picture.

"Alexander has a request for you, my lord. He wishes to have an audience with you." She repeated.

"Puck, who's that?" I asked.

"Titania." He whispered back. "The queen of Avalon and Alex's grandmother. I'm not sure how she'll take to you, but remember your-"

"Talia, come on." Alex walked toward the mirror.

"Kay." I followed him until he walked through the mirror. I paused and looked at it warily.

"We don't have time for you to be skeptical now, kiddo. In you go!" Puck pushed me in.

"PUCK!" I yelled as I stumbled through it.

"Talia, shh." Alex hushed me.

We were standing in front of Oberon and his queen in the throne room. There were all sorts of Fae in strange clothes standing on the side.

"My lord, I introduce you to Talia Xanatos, my adopted sister. Puck has discovered that she is a Halfling. She needs to be trained in her mystical heritage so it doesn't wither, if you would allow it." Alex had knelt and made me kneel too.

"Stand, children." Oberon said and I stood up not of my own will. "What is your request, prince?"

"I wish for you to alter the bounds of Puck's punishment to include Talia." He said.

"Why can you not train her?" He asked.

"I am not home long enough to train her." Alex said truthfully.

"Very well. I, Oberon, decree that Puck will regain his powers also when training or protecting the girl, but when you are home, Alexander, you will take over her training." Oberon's voice echoed with power.

"Thank you, my lord." My brother said.

"My lord?" I asked, remembering the stories Angela told me.

"Yes, child?" He looked at me and I kinda regretted speaking.

"May, uh, I have an apple?" I asked.

"Talia, no." Alex hissed.

"Child, how do you know that we have apples?" He asked.

"A gargoyle born on Avalon told me." I said.

"You wish to eat, child?" Oberon mused.

"Just an apple, my lord." I tried to salvage it.

"You may have an apple." He smiled and a red apple appeared in my hand.

"Thank you, my lord." I bowed my head.

"Thank you for honoring my request, but we must return home soon." Alex told him.

"Go to the mortal world, children." He said and we left.

Alex smacked me upside the head as we got back to his room. "Ow."

"Nice going, Talia. Now we're both indebted to him." He frowned.

"Is that an apple from Avalon?" Puck asked.

"Yeah." I said.

Puck reached out to touch it, but it shocked him. He hissed and nursed his hand. "I should have known."

"How long were we gone?" Alex asked.

"It's early morning now. The gargoyles are still up." Puck said.

"What was that?" I asked them.

"Puck's banished from Avalon. To 'never again sample its paradise.' I guess that includes stuff from there." Alex explained.

"… Do you want the seeds? I mean if the seeds grow into a tree, then its fruit won't be from Avalon." I said.

Puck whooped and flew around the room before mushing my cheeks together and kissing my forehead. "Such a smart girl!"

"Tanks." I said, my cheeks still mushed.

"You made his week, Talia." Alex smiled.

"You don't know how happy I am, Alexander. All for a simple apple." He laughed, letting go of my face.

I rubbed my cheeks. "This is big, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is, little trickster." He kissed my cheek this time. I blushed a little.

"Why'd you ask for it, anyway?" Alex asked.

"Angela said she missed Avalon." I answered.

"Then let's not keep her waiting." Alex smiled as we teleported to gargoyles.

"Alex, Talia, what brings-" Goliath paused when he saw Puck. "-you here at this hour?"

"Good news: Talia can learn how to use her powers now." Alex said.

Goliath was confused.

"Right… Talia's a Halfling. And now Puck's her teacher. Except when I'm here. Then I take over." He explained.

"I suppose that's fair." Puck said.

"We went to Avalon. I got an apple. Where's Angela?" I asked.

"Angela!" Goliath raised his voice slightly. I felt it in my chest.

"What is it, Father?" She walked in.

"Talia asked for you." He said.

"Isn't it past her bedtime?" She asked.

"She went to Avalon with Alexander." The purple gargoyle explained.

"Here you go." I gave Angela the apple. "Just give Puck the core when you're done."

"This is for me? You shouldn't have." She smiled. "You must have missed dinner." She cut the apple in half with her talons and gave it to me.

She shared some with Goliath. I took a bite out of mine and it was sweet and juicy. I hummed in delight and nodded at Angela. She agreed.

Alex stole a bite of the apple. "Ah, I wasn't excepting it be this juicy."

Puck smirked.

"I think that's my line." I grinned.

They both stared at me and blushed a bit. It didn't help when I licked the juice off my hand.

"I'm gonna go…" Alex left.

"You better go to bed too, Talia." Goliath told me.

"Fine." I finished my apple and left.

Talia's POV End

Puck's POV

I reverted back into Owen when Talia left. I should have done it sooner, but I lied to myself that Talia's powers were temporarily more powerful than they should have been since she went to Avalon. Which was bullshit.

Puck's POV End

Owen's POV

"Puck, why do you insist on keeping Talia in the dark?" Goliath asked me.

"Remember when how surprised you were when you found out I was Puck?" I said.

"You wish for her to figure it out?" He thought.

"It would take the fun right out of the lessons I'm planning if she knew." I told him and Angela snorted. I raised an eyebrow.

"Hearing you talk about fun in this form is odd." She smiled.

"I'm glad you're amused." I said dryly.

"Good night, Puck. Come, Angela." Goliath turned to leave.

"Yes, Father." She followed him after giving me the core.

I left as well.

Owen's POV End


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Lessons and truths

Alex left and I was the only child again. Adriana had to go back home and I couldn't see her again until school was out. I guess extra incentive to behave. Only now, I had magic lessons on top of everything else. Puck was interesting… I think I know where Alex got most of his personality from.

"Ok, Tai, I got everything ready. You just need to grow the tree." Puck said as he led me to large pot of dirt.

"Will it grow in normal soil?" I asked.

"I got some dirt from Avalon." He said.

"You really want this to work." I noted.

"The seed wants to grow, but it's too young right now. You have to push it along with your magic." He explained.

"Ok." I said and took a deep breath.

I felt Puck's magic. It was powerful and dangerous. It felt like mine. Or was mine like it?

"Focus, kiddo." Puck told me.

"Right." I said.

I focused and found the seed. It was tight little bundle of stuff. I poked and coaxed it to loosen up. Once it had done that, it was time for it to put down roots. Pushing the roots down was easier than making the tree mature.

My knees wobbled and I lurched. Puck caught me. "Easy, Tai. Don't hurt yourself."

I blinked and saw a little sapling. I coughed after I found I was holding my breath and felt something wet pass through my lips. I touched them and they came back with blood. My heart pounded like I'd gone for a jog.

"I don't… feel good." I said weakly.

"You pushed your magic to its limits. You did a good job." He said as he tried to hide his frown.

"No, I didn-" I gestured before I started coughing.

"Aw, fuck, that's blood." He said as he eased me to the ground and stepped back.

His eyes glowed green before a beam of light hit me. The blood that had begun to wet my tongue stopped and it became easier to breath. My heart slowed down.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Talia, there's something I have to tell you." He calmed himself. "When you were a baby, you were very premature."

"I know that." I said.

"What you don't know is that you almost died of internal bleeding. You were supposed to die in that hospital. But that night I decided to teach Alex how to heal injuries. I used you as an example. Your magic is essential to your life. You will die if you exhaust it." He explained. "Your magic, as is, won't last for another 20 years. Right now, 80 to 90% of it is keeping you alive. You need train your magic, make it stronger. That's the only way you'll have a normal lifespan. Being able to do magic is a happy side effect."

"… My magic is keeping me alive?" I gapped at him.

"Yes. But the constant use and no training for 16 years has overtaxed it." He said.

"How much magic is supposed to keep me alive?" I asked him.

"10%." He said after a minute. "That's only because I'm one of the strongest Children of Oberon there is."

"Fuck." I stared.

"This is my fault. I knew you were wouldn't be in tune with your magic as Alex. You just discovered your powers after 16 years." Puck helped me up.

I scoffed.

"We'll do a smaller thing next time. Something easy." He said.

"I think I feel hungry, but I'm not sure." I said.

"We better get you something to eat just in case." He teleported us to the kitchen and made me a small meal.

"Hey, Puck, Talia. What're you doing here?" Broadway walked in.

"Getting Talia some food." He answered.

"Lesson not go so great?" He asked.

"Yeah…" I said.

"That's too…" He began to sniff the air. "Does anyone else smell blood?"

I looked at my hand and it was still partially sticky. I looked at Puck. He used his magic and it was gone. "Must have been your imagination."

Broadway hummed, unsatisfied. "Must have been."

He left and after a few minutes, I turned to Puck. "Hey, Puck."

"Yeah, kiddo?" He asked.

"Does David know?" I asked.

"About me or your powers? Because the answer is yes for both." He got a beer for himself.

"Why don't I get to drink?" I asked.

"You're a minor. Alex doesn't get to drink either yet. I'm thousands of years older than everyone in this castle." He sat down.

We sat quietly for a minute until I grabbed it and chugged it down. "Fuck you."

"You've got some balls, kid." He smiled.

"You can't stop me from drinking if you tried." I frowned. "Bleh. What is this?"

"Some cheap shit. Honestly, I'm surprised he lets the clan drink this." He got another beer with his magic. "Tell you what: I'll talk to him about it. It'd be better than you pilfering his cabinets."

"Fine." I said.

We ate and sat for a bit. "Talia, it's going to take some work for you to get to your full power. But you'll be happy in the end."

"Bitch, you just told me I was supposed to die when I was a baby. And that I'll die in 20 years if my magic stays weak. Happy my ass." I muttered.

"Ok, so tonight was a bit of bummer, but you'll rest and tomorrow, you should be a-ok." He said.

"Nice to know almost choking on my own blood gives me the night off." I sniffed.

"Talia, my magic may have healed the wounds, but you still need to be careful." Puck finished his beer. "I really don't know why he lets the clan have this."

"Whatever, Dad." I rolled my eyes.

"Well, daughter, I think it's your bedtime." He smirked as he snapped his fingers for show and we were teleported to my room. I was tucked in bed with my fox and my nightclothes on. "Good night, Tai."

"Hey, Puck, where do you go during the day?" I asked.

"Finally got curious? I'll be close by if you figure it out." He smiled as he turned out the light and left.

"Jerk." I said and went to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Past and Present

I heard Golaith's anguished roars echo in my ears as I woke up. Was that the past? I frowned. I didn't understand.

"Talia, breakfast time." Owen called.

"Ok." I called back and got dressed. I ate breakfast then had to try to focus on my lessons.

"Alright, take out your English notebook." Owen told me.

As the lesson when on, I felt like it was leading somewhere and I was completely right. Owen wanted me to write a short story.

"You what?" I scoffed.

"Your assignment is to write a short story or poem based around a word of your choosing." He said.

"How do I choose?" I asked.

He took out a small basket with slips of paper in it. "You've got to be kidding me."

"I'm not." His eyes showed no emotion.

"Here we go." I sighed and grabbed a piece of paper from basket. I looked at it. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"Talia?" Owen asked.

"Statue?! Of all the things I get it's statue?!" I rested my head on the desk in defeat.

"I look forward to seeing what you come up with." There was the barest hint of something in his voice. "Class dismissed."

I gathered my things up and left. Is this what Adri felt when she had to do some bullshit for art? She loved art, but some of things the teacher made them do…

I went to my room and started brainstorming. Statues, statues… Gargoyles? Nah. I twirled my pen around and then got distracted by trying to catch like a baton. Then I tried to catch it with my magic. And then it was dinnertime. Luckily, nobody asked about it. I decided to see if working in the library helped.

"What are you doing, Talia?" Goliath asked from his ladder.

"Owen wants me to write a short story or poem about statues. I thought it'd help if I worked somewhere studious." I sighed. "That glass eyed, wooden plank of… I have a great idea." I smiled.

"Talia?" Goliath asked.

I scribbled down the beginnings of my poem and recited as I wrote. "Statues can be made of many things. Be they stone, metal or wood. But ones made of flesh are rare. Perhaps it's the way they move so silently from room to room. Or how their faces never change. Maybe no one likes their glasslike pearl eyes and unwavering stare. Perhaps it's the unpredictability of when they will move again. Statues can be made of many things and I rather they not be made of flesh."

"That's the best thing I've heard all week." Puck laughed.

"Puck?" I frowned, gulping.

"You've got to turn that in." He smiled.

"No way! I was just letting off steam." I shook my head.

"Why not? It meets all the requirements." He floated over and ruffled my hair. "You got talent, kiddo."

"Let me go!" I hissed.

"Don't be such sourpuss, Talia. Owen can take a little heat." He perched on a chair across from me.

"Why are you here, Puck?" Goliath asked.

"Can't I check on my student? I am her teacher after all." He smiled, now sitting on the back of the chair and letting his leg dangle lazily.

"Is this your way of telling me it's magic time?" I asked.

"I never thought you'd ask!" He smiled and teleported me to my room.

Talia's POV End

Puck's POV

"This must be some kind of record for you, big guy. You never let Alex's pranks go on for this long." I smiled. "I think you deserve a medal." I tossed a medal with "Not a spoilsport" on it to him.

"I still think withholding this information is dangerous." He growled his famous growl.

"Oh, relax. Owen gives her structure she needs and Puck gives her the fun she wants." I told him.

"Perhaps, but for better or worse, she's your responsibility now." Goliath frowned and paused. "Don't keep her waiting."

"Ok…" I side eyed him before leaving.

Puck's POV End

Talia's POV

"What took you so long?" I asked when he returned.

"Just chatting with Goliath." He replied.

"What's the lesson today?" I wondered.

"Levitation." He floated above me to prove a point.

I kept my remark about my suicide attempt to myself. This was too important to mess up. "How?"

"Imagine that you're lighter than air. That you move freely in the air as well as you can walk." Puck told me.

"Ok…" I got the image in my head and let my magic lift me up. "It works! This is so great!" I whooped and flew circles around him.

"Alex was just as excited when he first learned." Puck smiled.

"I wanna go outside." I went to window and looked at him.

He paused, probably because Alex told him I tried to jump off the building. "I don't know…"

"I'm not going to drop myself out of the sky." Yet. "Besides, this room is too small. I have to practice somewhere big."

"I know just the place." He smiled and teleported us to the gym.

I faltered and dipped a bit in the air before catching myself. "That was weird. And this isn't what I wanted!"

"It's a perfect place to practice. Look, there's even a foam mat if you fall." He gestured to the floor.

I growled.

"Kiddo, we'll go outside later. You just learned how to levitate less than a minute ago." He reminded me.

"First one to the mat loses?" I asked.

"Huh?" He looked at me.

"First one to hit the mat loses." I sighed.

"Like a dogfight?" He started to catch my drift.

"Yeah, but no airplanes. Or dying in fiery explosions." I said.

"I guess we better start on the ground then." He smiled.

We landed and he looked at me. "The minute you start feeling weak, tell me."

"Ok, Puck." I said quickly.

"I mean it, Tai. Your health is important." He frowned sternly.

"I'll tell you when I feel weak." I sighed.

"That's a good girl." He smiled. "Now, on your mark, get set… and go!"

He was in the air faster than me, but I used the feeling from earlier to get to up in the air. He tried to force me to the ground, but I slipped out of his… grasp (?) and threw an energy bolt at him.

"When did you learn that?" He asked dodging.

"Um…" I frowned and decided it was better to get away than answer.

"Oh, c'mon, Talia, you can tell me." He cooed as he chased me.

"Couple a months ago, I snuck out and got coffee. Nobody noticed me because I didn't want them to. And I changed my eye color." I said as I tried to change the tide.

"Invisibility?" He wondered.

"I can't control it yet." I stopping running and attempted to shoot lighting at him. It blew up to a flash of light with thunder. I used it to my advantage and snuck behind him.

Puck looked around before I tackled him and sped toward the ground. He growled as we grappled. I don't think he was used to fighting like this. We had ended up a little sideways now, but he just had to hit the mat first. With a loud slam, Puck hit the mat and I was thrown off him and landed a few feet away.

"You alright, kiddo?" He sat up.

"I'm a little tired, but- Ow, my hand!" I clutched it close to my chest.

Puck jumped up and rushed to my side. "What's wrong? Let me see your hand, kiddo." I let him take my arm. "You must have hurt it when you made that ball of energy."

"It burns." I whimpered with tears in my eyes.

Puck made the pain go away, but the circular burn mark was still there. "There we go. You're fine, Sweetheart, you're fine." He petted my hair.

He held me and stroked my hair for a few more minutes before I sat up.

"I'm ok." I said, wiping my eyes.

"Don't scare me like that again, Tai. C'mon, let's go put some stuff on that burn." He teleported us to castle level and we found some ointment for my hand.

I winced a little as he rubbed it on the burn. "It's tender."

"I'll be gentle." He soothed and made good on his promise before wrapping my hand in a bandage. "Let's get you to bed."

I made no protest as I found myself in bed again. "I wish your lessons didn't keep ending like this."

"It's only happened once before." I told him.

"If it happens again, it'll be the third time." He said.

"I'll stick to the lessons from now on." I looked at him.

"We'll work offensive magic another day. Now, sleep, Talia." He said softly and his magic washed over me. The last thing I remembered was Puck brushing my hair away from my face.

Talia's POV End

Puck's POV

"Sweetheart?" Xanatos asked, leaning on the doorframe.

"She was hurt." I reverted back to Owen.

Puck's POV End

Owen's POV

"Sir, Puck was trying to comfort our student." I told him.

"That doesn't bother me, Owen. What bothers me is that this is the second time this has happened. Is there really no way you can stop her from hurting herself with her magic?" He asked.

"I cannot limit her magic because she needs it to live. An iron bracelet would just irritate her skin, possibly make her break out in hives, while draining her magic." I explained.

"I see." He hummed, displeased. "Owen, I know you like having your hand back, but stop playing with Talia's hair."

I looked down and saw that I  _was_  playing with her hair. "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't realize I was doing that."

"Let's let her sleep." Mister Xanatos waited for me in the hall and I closed her bedroom door.

Owen's POV End

Talia's POV

_"I wonder if the city's ready for you guys." Elisa pondered, looking into the rising sun._

I groaned and rubbed my eyes. That was a long vision. I saw the bandage on my hand and flexed it.

"Ah!" I hissed.

"Talia, are you alright?" Owen asked.

"My hand's still sore." I answered.

"Puck is very sorry you got hurt." He told me.

"You talk to him?" I asked.

"We're your teachers, Talia." He said.

I furrowed my eyebrows, pausing. Puck had said something just like that last night.

I got dressed and went to breakfast. It was hard to eat with my hand still recovering. And I had a hard time concentrating on my lessons because of my vision.

"Owen?" I asked.

"Yes, Talia?" He looked at me.

"Wh- What happened when the clan first woke up in Manhattan?" I decided this was the better question to ask than what happened to Demona.

"That is a question for after class. Now…" He continued on with the lesson.

I stayed quiet and halfheartedly paid attention. After class was over, I wrote a new poem to turn in and went to Goliath, sitting on the wall next to him.

"Hey, big guy. I know you're asleep right now, but I don't know who to go to. You see, I've been having visions of the past, your past, and it's really confusing. It started yesterday, but today I had like 4 visions squished into one. Did Alex ever have visions? Does Puck? I guess I'd have to ask them, but I dunno. This feels like a gift somehow. Anyway, this was nice. See ya tonight." I hopped off the edge and fell for a couple seconds before flying back to my room.

It felt good to fly outside like I knew it would, but it was also chilly. I made it to my window and let myself inside. I read until dinner.

I ate dinner with everyone and David said. "Talia, you worried me when you jumped off of Goliath's tower this afternoon."

"She what?" Fox asked astonished.

"I can fly now, it's ok." I said.

"Don't do that again. Or you're grounded." He warned.

"Fine." I mumbled.

Puck wasn't happy about it either and smacked me upside the head.

"Ow…" I rubbed my head.

"I told you we would go outside later as in  _together_ , Talia." He glared at me.

"Why does everyone go for the head?" I complained.

"Why were you at Goliath's tower anyway?" He wondered.

"Just chatting with him." I replied.

He hummed. "If you're not going to tell me, fine. But no more jumping off the castle."

"Ok, Dad." I sighed.

"Now, let's work on that invisiblity,  _daughter_." He grinned.

Talia's POV End


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Exhausted

Owen's POV

"Talia?" I asked.

Talia was now fulling resting on the table and she was just writing notes a minute ago.

"Talia, are you alright?" I asked her. She didn't answer. I checked her pulse. It was weak and she felt warm. I eased her to the ground and checked her breathing. She was. That was good. I raised her legs to get the blood back to her brain.

She woke after a minute. "What happened?"

"You fainted." I explained.

"What year is it?" She asked.

"2016." I answered. She tried to sit up but I stopped her. "Stay down, Talia. How were you feeling before you fainted?"

"Um, warm, kinda dizzy, sleepy." She thought.

"I see." I hummed.

I let her get up after I was certain she was alright. She got back in her seat and looked at her notebook. "Oh, boy, these got really bad."

"Talia, you're not well. You just fainted. Class dismissed." I said firmly.

"No, no. I can still learn. Just, just blacked out." She rubbed her eyes. "Gimme a minute."

"No, Talia. I'm going to get you something to drink and then you're going to rest." I waited.

"Ok." She got up and followed me. I kept my ear on her in case she got worse. Luckily, no such thing happened and I got her a bottle of water. She drank, allowing me a moment think over what just happened.

She had always found my voice sleep-inducing, but this wasn't it. She had no history of fainting. Perhaps it was a one-time thing.

" _Something's wrong with our girl and you know it."_ Puck growled in my mind.  _"She hasn't been well in weeks. Our little trickster's still exhausted. "_

" _I know. I will ask the gargoyles tonight. See what they have noticed."_ I told him.

"All done." Talia announced and put the empty bottle in the recycling. She stopped next to me and watched me with those green eyes of hers.

" _Pretty, aren't they?"_ Puck asked me.

"Come along, Talia." I led her back to her room and let her fall asleep before checking on her.

Everything was fine now. I brushed her hair away from her face and still found it just as pleasant as before. I knew I shouldn't have been, but it was so soft. Puck agreed. I frowned as I realized whatever was happening to her must have been so confusing for her. He didn't like that thought one bit.

"Everything's going to be ok, Sweetheart. Promise." I gently kissed her forehead in a rare moment of impulsivity and saw Mister Xanatos in the doorway.

"What happened?" He asked.

"She fainted." I answered. "And Puck has noticed that she's tired during her lessons, but she also tries to get out of bedtime. We don't know what's going on."

"Even if she's staying up later than she should, she still goes to sleep. We're feeding her well. She can't be pregnant. Hmm." He frowned.

"Sir, we should let her rest." I glanced at her and I had unconsciously restarted playing with her hair.

"You're right." We left and he looked at me. "And Owen?"

"Yes, sir?" I said.

"Fatherhood looks good on you." He smiled and left.

I paused. I thought I had done a better job separating Puck's feelings from mine.

" _You see her as your own too, dumbass. Back there, all you. And you have her baby pictures in your room. I know Xanatos is letting you keep them."_ Puck told me.

I frowned.  _"I'm sorting through the photo albums."_

" _Sort through…"_ Puck scoffed.  _"They're already in order. Stop lying to me, Owen. I'm not making you feel anything you don't want to."_ Puck scolded.

"…  _She was a cute baby."_ I admitted.

" _Hell yeah she was. I just… I wonder what it would have been like if we had been there for her childhood."_ He sighed.

" _Me too."_ I agreed and went to go work.

When the gargoyles woke up, Talia wasn't there, but Elisa was. She always was. She liked watching them wake up.

"Yo, Goliath, is Talia there?" Brooklyn yelled up to his leader as Goliath greeted his mate.

I raised my eyebrow.

"Come, Puck." He growled. I followed them to their living space. "Why are you here?"

"I need to know how Talia's been acting when she's been with you. She fainted this morning." I told them.

"Talia fainted?" Elisa repeated.

"Yes." I replied.

"She seems fine when we go flying." Goliath hummed.

"Goliath, it's hard not to get excited when you're offered a chance to fly without an airplane." Elisa teased.

"It's not just me who thinks Talia's looking more like a zombie as of late, right?" Brooklyn, while older, still had his moments of insensitivity. He was very lucky he couldn't hear Puck right now.

"Yeah, she's not doing too great." Lexington agreed.

"I don't like it when she stares at nothing." Broadway added to his brother's point.

"Hudson, you spent the most time here. Have you noticed anything?" Angela asked.

"The lass, she nods off every time we watch TV and every time she does, Bronx nipped her. I scolded 'im and he stopped nippin' her, but he won't let her sleep either." He frowned.

"That is unusual. Bronx loves children." I remembered Alex's childhood.

"I found Talia-chan asleep once and she was not having a good sleep. She tossed and turned. I woke her up and she didn't recognize me and asked what year it was. I asked if she was alright, but she said she just had a nightmare." Katana recounted.

"Puck, why do you not use your magic?" Goliath asked.

"I don't know what's wrong. This could be a reaction to a trauma she faced. I don't know. I cannot fix every painful thing that my daughter goes through." I told him, frustrated. I hadn't made Alexander's fears and worries disappear with magic. They were essential to his growth.

Everyone was quiet as I realized my mistake. "You meant student, right, Owen?" Elisa said, offering me a cheap way out, probably for their own peace of mind.

I felt a sensation I'd come hate deep in my bones, but it also felt new: Talia was awake and terrified. I left without a word.

Owen's POV End

Talia's POV

" _I had a nightmare, Elisa. Now we must get home and make sure it does not come true."_ Goliath steered the skiff into the fog.

I opened my eyes. "Oh, God, no. NO! Let me rest! Let me rest…" I curled up into a ball. "Please."

"Sweetheart?" Puck's voice was full of worry.

I looked and saw him. "Hey, uh, Puck."

"I came to check on you. You've been asleep all afternoon. Talia, tell me what's going on. I know something's wrong." He frowned.

"… Bad dream. Everyone died." I said, pulling the covers over my face.

"Tell me what's wrong or I'll find out what's wrong." He said sternly, tugging the covers off.

"Not now." I mumbled. "I'm so tired."

His gaze softened. "You want something to eat, Sweetie?"

"Yes." I said and we were teleported to clan's little kitchen. I sat at the counter and waited for my dinner. Bronx nuzzled my leg. Did I really sleep so long the clan woke up?

"Hey, kiddo. Owen told us you gave him a little scare this morning." Elisa sat next to me.

"Owen's a robot. He can't get scared." I tried to shake off the weariness that now clung to me again.

"Talia, what's going on?" She asked.

"Let me rest. Please." I sighed.

Elisa didn't say anything as she rubbed my shoulder. Puck gave me my dinner, grilled cheese and tomato soup, and sat next to me with a beer. I ate slowly, not because I wanted to, but because that was the only pace I could manage. After I finished, Elisa took the dishes away.

"You feel better now, Tai?" Puck asked.

"I guess." I yawned and rubbed my eyes.

"What's happening to you? You're clearly exhausted, but you just woke up a little bit ago." He frowned.

"I know, Puck. I don't want be like this. I just… I want them to stop." I said softly.

"The bad dreams?" He asked and I nodded. "Talia, what are they about?"

I scratched the back of my neck. "Can you make them go away?"

"Talia, tell me what they're about." He frowned slightly.

"… I don-" I jumped as Puck hit the counter.

"Don't lie to me, Talia! I'm trying to help you." He growled.

"I should have told you in the beginning. Maybe it wouldn't have gotten so bad if I did." I took a breath. "I-I've been having visions about the past. About the clan and everything they've been through. At first, it was ok then they started coming too fast and I would have to rewatch them. I don't know how many times I've seen Goliath fight David. Sometimes, they stop for little bit and I truly get to sleep for a bit until they come back. I just want to sleep, Puck, I just want to sleep." I rested my head on his chest and cried out of frustration.

Puck was quiet as he ran his fingers through my hair. It felt good. "I'm so sorry, Sweetheart."

"Make them stop." I whispered hoarsely.

Puck kissed the top of my head. "Shh. You're going to be fine, little trickster."

I wiped my eyes. "Why is this happening to me?"

"Someone is bending the rules to their favor. Ignoring your human half and focusing on the Fae half. I don't know what this accomplishes, but it is not good." Goliath growled.

"I hate to ask, but why?" Elisa frowned.

"She's my Halfling. She may be weak right now, but she'll be stronger as time goes on." Puck said.

"Who would want me?" I asked.

"Oberon. He's still pissed that Alex has no loyalty to him." He frowned. I got up. "Kiddo, what are you doing?"

"I'm gonna tell him these visions are hurting me." I summoned a mirror. Summoning things was one of the first lessons Puck taught me. Large things I hadn't gotten to yet, but a hand mirror was easy.

"Talia, are you sure that's a good idea?" Goliath said.

"Too late now." I said as I touched the mirror. "Oberon." Nothing happened. "Did I not do it ri-"

"Hello, princess." I saw Oberon's face in the mirror.

"Hello, m-my lord." I greeted back.

"Why have you called me?" He asked.

"I-I have been having visions of the past and they're hurting me now." I couldn't back out now. I wasn't sure how to end the call anyway. Destroy the mirror?

"Visions of the past? Tricksters don't get visions of any kind. My queen?" Oberon called and Titania appeared.

"Yes, my lord?" She asked.

"The princess says she's having visions for the past and they're not in her control. That they are hurting her." He looked at his wife and I sighed before having to make a straight face again.

The queen of Avalon had a glimmer of rage in her eyes. "My lord, I wanted her to better understand my grandson's history so I ordered the sisters to show her visions of the past. One a night."

"They did not do that. I think I got like 10 in row once. Then I had to rewatch most of them. I'm basically not sleeping anymore." I told them.

Oberon had heard enough. "Sisters!"

Three women appeared, they had orange, black and white hair. "Yes, my lord?"

"You have hurt the princess! You are here by banished from Avalon without your powers until you learn empathy for mortals!" He snarled.

"My lord?" Titania said sweetly.

"Yes, my queen?" He looked at her.

"They may learn better if they are apart." She purred.

"You are right, my beloved. You three are to be sent to the far corners of the mortal world and are not to reunite until you return to Avalon. You will not harm the princess ever again. Now, be gone!" His voice boomed and the sisters were gone.

"I am grateful for your kindness, my lord." I bowed my head.

"Princess, I am very sorry my gift was misused." Titania told me.

"It wasn't your fault." I said.

"The visions will be in your control now. Have a good night, princess." She smiled and I felt a powerful magic, much more powerful than Puck's and much like Alex's, settle over me.

"Good night, my lord, my queen." I bowed again.

Their faces disappeared from the mirror and I sighed deeply. "I'm so fucked. I now have a total of 3 whatits to the king and queen of Avalon."

"No, they were protecting you, the princess of Avalon. So, you have one boon." Puck told me.

"I'm gonna go sleep now. The adrenaline and soup keeping me awake is running low." I yawned.

"No, Sweetie, you just woke up an hour and a half ago." He shook his head.

"But I wanna sleep. I haven't slept in weeks." I pouted.

"You can sleep in a little bit, kiddo. And I'll have you know I invented doe eyes." He smiled.

"You may have invented it, but Talia polishes it." Elisa laughed.

"Tai, you took a risk calling Oberon and it paid off. That's my smart girl." He ruffled my hair, floating above me.

"Really, c'mon, man!" I hissed.

"He's right, Talia. Things worked in your favor this time." Goliath said.

"I have to agree with Goliath on this." David walked in. "I take it the visions won't be bothering you anymore?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Everything's fine now."

"Kiddo, we got a magic lesson to do. It'll be easy, promise." Puck told me. "You can play with the gargoyles later."

"Bye, guys." I waved to clan and we teleported away.

Talia's POV End

David's POV

" _From time of night to time of day, keep the night's terrors at bay."_  Puck cast his spell on Talia and smiled. "There, that should ensure a good night's sleep. Sweet dreams, little trickster." He tenderly brushed her hair back and reverted back to Owen.

"Owen, you're going to explain how she got those visions, right?" I asked. "The cameras don't pick up magic."

"Lady Titania decided she needed to learn the clan's history to learn why Alexander is the way he is. However, she gave the task of giving her the visions to the Weird Sisters. They pushed too far and hurt Talia. She got them banished from Avalon until they learn empathy." He smiled a trickster's smile. "Not intentionally, but it was the end result. Oberon declared that they will never harm her again. Adriana is human, but if they decide to have children, we may need to watch the horizon."

"What makes you think they'll be together that long?" I smiled.

"She has my loyalty." He played with her hair, a shared gesture of his and Puck's, but Talia had never been awake when he did it. "Adriana's not getting away from her easily."

"And she has Puck's magic." I added.

"Yes, she does, sir." He gently kissed her forehead. "Good night, Sweetheart."

"She's my daughter." I told him.

"She was mine 16 years before you even met her." He shot back, well, for him, at least.

"We have work to do." I lead him out. He paused before shutting the door. I smiled at him and he ignored me. He had it bad.

David's POV End


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

A busy birthday

"Happy birthday, Tai!" Alex hugged me.

"Ah, no! Lemme go, you brute." I squirmed in his arms.

"You're 17 now! But you're still tiny and cute." He squeezed tighter.

"I wanna sleep!" I whined.

"Alexander, she is the birthday girl." Owen stood in the door way.

"I'm awake now, what's for breakfast?" I asked.

"You'll like it. A feast fit for a princess." Alex smiled.

I glared at him. He laughed and kissed the top of my head. I got dressed and followed them to the dining room, which did have a feast. I ate and looked around the table. This wasn't right. This wasn't how I was supposed to spend my birthday. Mom was gonna make my favorite cake and I'd open my presents then we'd frost the cake.

"Kiddo?" Alex asked.

"I miss my Mom." I wiped my eyes.

"C'mere, Tai. It'll be ok." Alex pulled me to him and he hugged me.

"You still reek of Axe." I mumbled and settled into his lap.

"I'm not wearing any flowery perfume for you." His voice was low enough to rumble in his chest.

"I don't want you to." I rested my head on his shoulder. "But you still smell."

"And we're back to square one." He chuckled.

"Having a big brother is weird." I pointed out.

"Get used to it." He hummed as he stroked my hair. I felt death glares coming from somewhere, but I had no idea where. "Your hair's so soft."

"Puck likes my hair too." I sighed.

"Alexander, let Talia finish her breakfast." Owen said after bit and I almost had a heart attack.

"You ok, Tai?" He asked.

"Yeah." I said.

"Good." He let go back to my seat and I ate my food. It felt weird to eat after I just ate in the dream.

After breakfast, I had to go to class. I didn't want to and used my doe eyes on him. But I should have known it wouldn't work on a robot.

"No, Talia, you can't take a break from school just because it's your birthday." His voice was even.

"C'mon, Owen, be cool." I whined.

"You'll have an easier time getting Goliath to murder than changing Owen's mind." Alex said.

"Plan B then." I ran off.

"Talia!" Alex laughed, shocked.

I was trying to find window or some way out, but Owen was on my tail and figured out my plan. Trying to out manure him was difficult. I was only ahead because I surprised him until I got the idea to use the castle's high ceiling to my advantage. It was better, but we were still stuck in the same cat-and-mouse as we were when I was on the ground.

"Please be one of my powers, please be one of my powers." I muttered as I mentally chanted "No one can touch me. I can go through walls. I'm intangible." over and over while building up magic. My magic finally got to point where I decided to risk it.

"Talia, no!" Owen cried out and turned into Puck just as I was about to attempt to go through the wall I was just cornered at.

I dropped out of the sky from sheer shock. He caught me and then he ran a hand through my hair and nuzzled me. "You naughty girl, what were you thinking?!"

"Um…" I was dumbstruck.

"You could have died! Oh, little trickster, you're in so much trouble when I get over my shock." Puck kissed my temple.

"You're Owen." I managed to get out.

"Yes I am, Sweetheart. And we were very frightened when you were going to attempt intangibility without any guidance." He paused. "You take too many risks. Your magic, the visions, your hand." He took my hand and rubbed the circular burn with his thumb. "You're just like me when I was younger. We have so much work cut out for us." He chuckled mirthlessly and he turned back into Owen.

"No more stunts, Talia." Owen told me.

"You're Puck." I said, still shocked.

"Yes, Talia, I am." He said calmly. "Since it's your birthday, I won't punish you today. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, but be a good girl for the rest of the holidays and we'll see what I think then." He kissed my forehead and ran his fingers through my hair. "Don't scare us like that ever again, Sweetheart." He said softly. Lovingly.

I passed out.

Talia's POV End

Alex's POV

"That's it? She tried to skip school." I turned visible.

"This is the first time she's done it. Next time I won't be as lenient." Owen told me.

"She's cute when she's asleep." I smiled.

"Yes, sir." He said like he was agreeing with Dad.

"Oh, c'mon, that's your Halfling. You can have bit more emotion towards her." I stepped toward them and he unconsciously tightened his grip on her. "I'm not sure whether or not to be insulted or complimented. You know I love her."

"I don't understand, Alexander." He frowned a tiny bit.

"You got jealous when I stroked her hair." I said. "Why is it so damn soft?"

"Perhaps her magic enhanced its natural properties." Owen suggested.

"It's kinda addicting." I got close enough and brushed it with the back of my hand.

"Alexander, do not wake her up again." He said, taking Talia back to her room.

"That's not going to wake her up. Dad told me you play with her hair when she falls asleep. And how Puck tucks her in after her lessons. You haven't tucked me in since I was six." I pointed out, following them.

"You were a growing boy. And her age doesn't stop you from doting on her." He countered.

"I'm her brother." I sniffed.

"I'm her father." Owen brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

I paused. "You're serious? I thought that was a joke between you two."

"I've been her father ever since I saved her life. Or do you need a reminder of how being a Halfling works?" He said dryly.

Talia groaned in her sleep. I smelt my grandmother's magic around her. Owen gave me a sharp look. "Shh, Sweetheart, shh. You're ok. We're almost there."

Owen opened Talia's bedroom door and put her on her bed. Then he changed into Puck and put her in her night clothes and tucked her in.

"Why does she smell like grandmother's magic?" I asked as Puck tried to soothe her by playing a lullaby.

" _Lady Titania gave her visions of the past through the Weird Sisters before Talia told them how the Sisters were torturing her with them. She now controls them. Also, the Sisters are without their powers and banished from Avalon until they learn empathy for mortals."_  He explained telepathically, not pausing his lullaby.

"This Talia? This Talia right here, cuddling her toy fox, got the Sisters banished from Avalon?" I gestured to my sister.

"She's the princess of Avalon." He frowned as he realized she wasn't going to be comforted.

"So much has happened while I've been gone." I frowned. "Does she even know you're her father?"

Puck thought. "She might not know what being a princess means… Or how being a Halfling works."

"Puck, you have to tell her these things! She's not going to get it just because you keep saying them." I rubbed my temples.

"I will. Just in a little bit. After she wraps her head around the fact that Owen and I are the same person." He noticed my look. "Don't look at me like that. She wasn't in any danger before."

"We better leave her alone. Who knows when she'll wake up again?" I looked at her.

She softly whimpered in her sleep. Puck's ears drooped when he heard her. "Oh no, little trickster, you're ok. You're fine." He cooed.

"Alex, he's not going to leave just like that. You don't know how bad it got." Dad told me.

"Oh, for the love…" I sighed as Owen was now holding Talia in his lap, ear toward his chest, and humming. "Owen, she's not going to be comforted. If Puck can't, what makes you think…" I trailed off as Owen's humming calmed her.

"Alexander, I'm the one who comforted you as a baby most." He pushed his glasses up his nose and ran his fingers through her hair.

"It's probably best if she didn't go to school today." Dad said.

"If you insist, sir." Owen kissed the top of her head before tucking her back in.

"So, how often do these bedtime meetings happen?" I asked.

The men thought too long. "Really?" I deadpanned.

"It's my best bet of finding him after dark." Dad smiled.

"We best leave now and let her rest." Owen said.

"Fine." We all left.

Mom was in the hall. "Did you have a nice talk?"

Dad kissed her cheek. "Yes, dear."

"It's just like Alex was a baby." She smiled.

"Wait, what?" I asked.

Alex's POV End

Talia's POV

I woke up and tried to figure out why I was in bed during the middle of the day. Then I remembered the morning and my vision. "Owen is Puck."

"Talia, are you awake?" Owen asked.

"Yeah. I, um, have some questions. Like what the fuck?!" I yelled at the door.

"I will explain after you get dressed." He said.

I got dressed and followed Owen. I noticed we were heading toward the clan's living quarters. It was where Puck made me food. I sat at the counter and waited for food. I was kinda hungry. But I also knew better to let myself be distracted.

"So, what's the truth?" I asked.

"What Puck told you is the truth, although he neglected to mention a few things." Owen said loud enough for me to hear over the frying hamburger patty.

"You mean how he forgot to mention you and him are the same person?" I asked.

"I am technically his persona. We share a body, but we are not the same." He checked the meat.

"Like how Coldstone was?" I watched him.

He paused for a second. "Yes."

"Why?" I frowned.

"Why what, Talia?" He posed.

"Why did you go along with it?" I looked at him.

"…We both liked the distinction. I was Owen and he was Puck. Not Puck as Owen or anything like that." He flipped the burger over.

"Ok, so what else did he forget?" I waited.

"We're your father." Owen said nonchalantly.

"You're my what?" I looked at the back of his head dazed.

"Your magic comes from Puck's magic. And it altered your DNA to compensate for it. However, you became a mixture of both of us rather than just Puck's, but you lean more toward the trickster's side. In short, we're both your father even though you had a birth father." He gave me my late lunch.

I paused, wrapping my head it all. "I have… 4 dads?"

"Yes, Puck will explain the Fae things he missed later on." He opened a beer.

"Drinking on the job, really?" I decided to distract myself.

"Human alcohol doesn't get us drunk as fast. And don't even think about it. You're too young." He warned.

"Puck would." I mumbled.

"Puck doesn't understand how bad alcohol is growing Halflings." Owen said.

I ate my burger. We sat in silence for a little bit. "Talia, I'm sorry I kept this from you. But you should know we both love you very much. Please forgive us." He brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. It felt genuine and familiar somehow.

I looked into his ice blue eyes. "I forgive you, Dad."

"I won't keep anything like that from you again. I promise." Owen told me seriously.

I finished my burger and drained my milk. Alex chose that moment to walk in and hugged me.

"Have a nice lunch, kiddo?" He asked.

"I might vomit now." I snarked.

"Don't you dare. C'mon, let's get a lesson in before your party starts." He smiled.

"I better supervise." Puck ruffled our hair.

"You know my hair tangles." Alex hissed.

"Not my fault your hair's unruly. So, what're you gonna teach my little trickster?" Puck asked curiously.

"Owen said you had stuff to tell me." I looked at him.

"I know, but Alex wants to teach you. I have to follow the rules." Puck frowned a little.

"Then aren't you supposed to Owen?" I asked.

"I'm making sure Alex doesn't fuck up and hurt you." He explained. Alex made a noise. "It's already happened before."

I curled my right hand into a fist to hide the burn.

"You're going tell me everything later." Alex looked at Puck. "C'mon, Tai, let's go." We teleported to my room. Puck had followed us. "Show me what you got."

"Uh, ok." I showed him what Puck had taught me.

"No shape shifting?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No…" I said.

"Alex, there's a reason for that." Puck told him.

"Imagine you're a cat." Alex told me.

"What?" I asked.

"Just do it." The red head smiled.

I took a breath and tried to imagine myself as a cat. "Ok…"

"Now become the cat." Alex said.

"If I get stuck, it's your fault." I said as refocused myself.

I became smaller, my hands and feet became paws, and I grew a tail. "Mrrow?"

"Aww, you're adorable!" Alex picked me up. "You're a lil' cutie."

Puck scratched behind my ear and I purred. "Never seen a kitten with wavy fur before."

"Talia?" David asked and I watched him carefully.

"Talia." Puck petted me. I felt calmer.

"Make sure she's human before her party starts." He told them.

"Who's a good kitty?" Alex scratched under my chin. "Your fur's so soft. I could die."

"Mew." I meowed.

Puck turned into a long haired white cat and took me from Alex. He set me on the floor and started grooming me. I mewed loudly.

"Aww, Daddy's giving his baby a bath." Alex cooed, filming us.

Puck decided he was done and I tried to make my escape, but he caught me. I pouted. He nuzzled me and I purred back.

"Ok, that's enough, you two. It's almost 5." David said with his phone out.

Puck glared at him, but turned back into himself.

"C'mon, kiddo, we can't start the party without you. You're human, remember?" Alex told me.

I looked through my memories and found myself sitting on the floor as me. I got up.

"You did great, Tai." Puck kissed my cheek.

"Daddy!" I whined.

"I like the sound of that." He smiled.

"Let's go celebrate your birthday." Alex grinned.

We went to the Great Hall and most everyone was there. Adri was there. I hugged her. Then we started making out.

"Talia, control yourself." Owen warned.

I flipped him off. Adri giggled which made me giggle and we just fell apart. "It's my," I was overtaken by another fit of giggles. "-birthday. No, you ruined it! Stop." I pushed her away.

"I lost you once. I'm making you stay where I can find you." She lightly scolded.

"It wasn't my fault. I don't even know where I was before Manhattan. I woke up in a park." I smiled.

"Woke up?" Alex asked. "Talia, that's a coma."

"Well, I'm telling the truth. I woke and had no memories of the last year  _and_ I was now homeless in New York, luckily, it was summer." I told him.

Realization dawned on him. "You tried to- Because it was-" He sputtered.

"Alex, you're making a scene and it's my birthday." I frowned.

"Alexander, leave it alone for now." Owen told him. I didn't let him see how his words made my heart skip.

Everyone decided to ignore what happened and we continued the celebration. I opened my gifts. Only Adri knew what I liked or shared my past. A music box of my first ever song. But the others tried. Books, gift cards, and a hover bike from Lex and Brooklyn. Owen took the keys before I could try it out. Angela made me a scarf. Brooklyn also got me a leather jacket. Alex got me a guitar and Owen gave me my mom's old photo albums. Broadway made my cake. Hudson told us about Hatchling Day and how the clan celebrated. Some lady came with a present and Adri fell asleep.

"Mother, stay away from her. You were responsible for her visions so you're responsible for hurting her." Fox hissed.

"Who is that?" I whispered to Owen.

"Look past her appearances." He told me.

Magic flared in my eyes. "Titania! Wow, your magic's bright." I paused. "Uh… hi."

"Hello, granddaughter." She smiled at me. "Happy birthday."

"Get out before we make you." David hissed.

"But I want it." I pointed to the shiny package.

"No, you don't. Her last gift hurt you." Owen spat.

"That was the Weird Sisters' fault." I reminded him.

He pursed his lips in thought. "Give it to me." He turned to her.

She did and I felt Puck's magic go through Owen and he gave it to me. I opened it and it was a sliver flute.

"I dunno know how to play this." I said.

"The Puck will teach you." She said.

"With all due respect, I cannot teach her how to use that. It was made with magic. It will amplify her power considerably." Owen told her.

"Would you teach her if you had this?" She held up a gold flute.

Owen's and Alex's eyes widened. He cleared his throat. "I would consider it."

She smiled and handed it to him.

"Thank you, my Queen." He bowed.

"You need all the tools at your disposal to teach my grandchildren." The disguised queen looked at Alex. He looked away.

"You gave her her gift, now go." Fox warned.

"Very well. I will check in on you and the children later." She walked out of the room and I felt her magic take her back to Avalon.

Adri woke up. "Where'd that lady go?"

"She had other matters to attend to." Owen told her.

They sang happy birthday to me and we ate dinner. We played party games until Puck showed up. Then it was a different game. Terrorizing the other party guests to be exact. Except me and Adri. Puck told her he was my father and she thought it was like fairy godfather. Fox took my girlfriend home around 3 am. I gave her a goodbye kiss.

Talia's POV End


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Christmas

"Talia, no. You're spending Christmas here." David told me.

"But Adri invited me." I frowned. "We just reunited after a year and…" I counted. "-9 months. –ish."

"We're not spending your first Christmas as a Xanatos at someone else's house." He said with finality.

"Daddy…" I turned to Owen.

"Mister Xanatos made it very clear, Talia." He said coldly.

I huffed and went to my room. I angrily wiped my tears away as I texted her. " _Can't come for Christmas. :C"_

She answered a few minutes later. " _it's my fault. I shoulda asked sooner."_

" _No, he just doesn't want to."_ I frowned.

" _What about your godfather? He could get you here._ " She asked.

" _Yeah, but he has to follow David's orders."_ I thought.

" _That sucks. :P"_ She said.

" _Don't I know it?"_ I sighed.

We talked until I heard a knock on my door. "Talia?" Of course it was Owen.

"What?" I snapped.

"Mister Xanatos wants to know if the 27th would acceptable for you to go see Adriana." He said.

I texted her and she answered yes. "… Yeah."

I heard Owen take a step toward the door. I hissed like a cat. He paused, but didn't go away. A low growl rumbled in my throat and something was pinned against my head. I grabbed a mirror and looked in it. I had cat ears and my pupils were thin and oval. I dropped it as my hair puffed up.

Owen had opened the door now. I hissed at him. "Easy, Talia." I watched him carefully. "I know this is upsetting, but you can control this." I spat at him.

Owen made a thrrp noise. My ears twitched. I was curious now. He did it again. Some instinct told me to go to him. Again. I slowly walked to him and nuzzled up against him.

"You're ok, Sweetheart, you're ok." He scratched one of my cat ears. I purred as he continued.

"You're fine now, Talia." He said softly.

I calmed down until he pulled away. I mewed loudly. He picked me and I was happy. He found Alex playing in the game room.

"Alexander, we have a slight problem." Owen told him.

"Are those cat ears?" He took off his headphones.

"This is what I was afraid would happen if she learned transformation too soon. Her magic responded to her emotions." He rubbed the back of my head.

"What made her so upset?" Alex turned off the Xbox.

"She wanted to Adriana's for Christmas and your father said no… And I said no. She was still upset when I told her we would take her after Christmas to see Adriana. She upset herself even more when she looked a mirror." He explained.

"That would do it. Tai, can you speak?" Alex asked.

I meowed.

"Alexander, Talia's just calmed down enough not to attack." Owen said.

Alex tried to coach me out of this half transformation. It took a lot longer than we thought. It didn't help when I grew a tail and claws because David scared me. But we did it.

"Hey, Talia, wanna stay up and play a prank Santa?" Puck asked after Alex's lesson.

"Santa's real?" I asked.

"Of course he is." He smiled.

"No, he's not, Tai." Alex said.

"He is real! You're just salty because you always fell asleep before you saw him." Puck frowned.

"Then why wouldn't he let the prince of Avalon see him?" Alex shot back.

"He doesn't like playing favorites." He shrugged.

"That's stupid." Alex huffed.

"If Alex couldn't stay awake, why do you think I can?" I asked.

"I have a theory about that." My brother groaned. "Alex's a little bitch when it comes to sleep spells so that's why he always falls asleep."

"Ha." I laughed at him.

"You don't even remember most of this year or last year, Talia." He shot back.

"That's not my fault. I was raised a human." I told him.

"That's enough. Let's not argue." Puck said. "You wanna stay up or not, little trickster?"

"Ok." I said.

"That's my good girl." He kissed my cheek.

"Let's go eat." Alex said.

"I'm hungry." I told them.

"Well, of course, you are. Your emotions made you become half cat." He frowned. "But we fixed it."

"Yeah." I agreed.

We went to dinner and I ate hungrily. Then I got sleepy and tried to go back to my room. I didn't make it so I settled for the nearest bed I could find.

Talia's POV End

Owen's POV

I picked Talia up and took her to her room. Mister Xanatos followed us.

"Owen, what happened earlier?" He asked.

"Her magic responded to her emotions. She was still upset with me when I told her we would take her to see Adriana later. It got worse the more stressed she became." I explained.

"How'd you calm her down?" He knew; he just wanted to hear me say it.

"She was a cat so I mimicked a mother's call." I heard Puck snickering at me.

Mister Xanatos smiled. "Is Puck going to try to prank Santa again this year?"

"Yes. Although, I don't see the point. He never succeeds and they end up chatting. And Alexander is never awake to Santa Clause." I told him.

"Thrill of the hunt." Mister Xanatos said.

"I suppose, sir." I said.

I put Talia on her bed and turned into Puck so he wouldn't complain.

Owen's POV End

Talia's POV

Christmas Eve

"You ready, Tai?" Puck asked me.

"Yeah." I nodded.

"Good. It's gonna be great." He smiled.

I mirrored his smile. "Is it time yet?"

"Almost. I need a strand of hair." I tugged one out and gave it to him. He made something more than an illusion, but not a clone appear in her bed asleep.

"Do you think you can mimic other Fae's magic? Cause he'll sniff out your magic in an instant. Coyote's a good one." He asked.

"I dunno. I'll try." I looked through my visions and replayed the scenes with Coyote and felt his magic.

"Nice work, kiddo. You like a Maza though." He hummed and handed me a mirror.

My skin was a darker brown than my normal coloring and I had Elisa's nose. My eyes were rounder and well, brown. My hair was straight now.

"I guess I do." I said.

"Let's go." He smiled.

We went to the Great Hall and I saw Santa. I was thrilled. He was looking over a list and pulling out presents out of his bag. "Ah, yes, Talia Xanatos-Burnett-Goodfellow."

Burnett-Goodfellow? We looked at each other.

"I could change it if you'd like." Santa looked at us pointedly.

We turned visible. "No, it's fine. I just…" Puck paused.

"Was curious? She's your daughter, isn't she?" He smiled.

"Yeah." He ruffled my hair.

"It was a good try, but I know who's awake and who's asleep. Let me see your true face, princess of Avalon." He bowed.

I dropped my Coyote Halfling persona. "How'd I do?"

"You're better than Alex at transfiguration. I was almost fooled for a second." Puck smirked.

"You did wonderfully." Santa told her. I beamed.

We landed and Puck shook Santa's hand. I hugged him.

"You're real?" Alex gasped.

"I kept telling you." Puck muttered.

"You've grown into a fine young man, prince of Avalon." Santa bowed.

"Alex, look, Santa's here." I told him.

"I…" The red head wasn't exactly sure what to say.

"You don't remember me? Hmm, perhaps you're more affected by my magic than I thought." Santa hummed.

"Wait, I always had dreams about staying up on Christmas Eve." Alex thought.

"Can we see the reindeer? Sleigh?" I asked.

"As you wish, princess." Santa took us to the roof.

The reindeer's ears flicked toward us. We were given winter clothes. Alex and I walked up to them and scratched their necks. We petted each one and then we sat in the sleigh. It was comfy. Then we went back inside. Santa couldn't stay any longer and then I didn't remember falling asleep, but I woke up with a red blanket in Owen's lap when I heard someone move. I yawned and rubbed my eyes.

"Did I wake you, Sweetheart?" Fox asked, handing me a cup of cocoa.

"No." I blinked sleepily and sipped it.

"That's  _my_ daughter." Owen growled as he put on his glasses, giving me a kiss good morning.

"Our daughter. David adopted her, remember?" Fox gave him a cup of coffee.

"Mom?" Alex woke up.

"Morning, Alex." She gave him the last cup.

"When'd you get the Santa hat?" I asked.

"What?" He felt the top of his head. "I remember! I remember last night." He smiled.

"I meant to take the children to bed after Santa left." Owen told her. Alex glared at him.

"It's alright." She smiled.

"We'll open presents after you eat." David smirked.

We got breakfast and ate. Then we opened presents. I got everything I asked for. Then we got to Santa's gifts. Santa gave David an off black dress shirt. His eye twitched. He gave Fox a gold and sapphire pair of earrings shaped like a rain drop. It reminded me of the Eye of Odin sorta. Owen got a crimson tie. He frowned. Santa gave Alex a chess set and I got a book about Avalon and a gold ring with my birthstones, November's were Topaz and Citrine. I tried it on and it fit. I, however, felt a buzz of power from it. Owen explained that jewelry made from Avalon's natural material had natural magic properties and they tended to purer than Earth jewels.

We had a snowball fight before lunch. I'm not sure who won. Alex went to go play his new video game after we ate. I had more cocoa in the clan's kitchen. It was cozy. Owen found me.

"Merry Christmas, Talia." Owen kissed the side of my head.

"Merry Christmas, Dad." I gave him a one armed hug.

We all ended up going to Adri's and we had late lunch at her house. She made me a necklace with flowers I liked. I got her more art markers. She liked them. It was a good Christmas.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

A bitter meeting

January

"Stop biting your hands." Owen warned, tugging my hand out of my mouth. "It's unsanitary and harmful. I know you struggle with math, but you need to learn this."

His phone rang. He answered it and I rested my head on the table, nibbling my other hand. My father pulled it away from me. I whined, but he didn't care.

"Talia, your grandfather's in the hospital. You're going to Bar Harbor, Maine. I'll get your brother." Owen stepped out.

"What the fuck do you want me to do?" I asked the door. Go to the helicopter? That seems right, but I had no idea. I decided to go follow Owen. I sensed where he was and teleported to him. I miscalculated and landed on his back.

"Now is not the time for a ride, Talia." Owen bent and set my feet on the ground. "Come along."

I followed him and we got Alex. Then we had to pack a bag and were taken to the launch pad. Fox and David were waiting for us.

"Ah, good. Thank you, Owen." David said.

"Your welcome, sir." He answered.

"Say good bye to Owen, Talia. We'll be back in a few days." Fox told me.

I hugged him. He hugged back. "Bye."

"I'll see you soon, Sweetheart. Be good for Mister Xanatos and Fox." Owen brushed some hair behind my ear.

"Ok." I said.

"That's my good girl." He kissed my forehead.

We got in the helicopter and flew to Maine. Then we went to the hospital where David's dad was. I stayed near the back of the room. He wasn't awake yet. His skin was dull and he didn't look good.

"Talia, do you want to see Grandpa?" Alex asked.

They made room for me. It didn't change anything. He still looked sick. I smelt Alex's magic on him though. I looked at my brother and he just frowned. Fox took me and Alex out to the hall, leaving David alone.

We met some lady in the hall and she hugged Fox. "Hello, Fox. I'm sorry you had come under these circumstances."

"I know, but these things happen." Fox said.

"That's Grandma Kara." Alex told me.

"Alex, you've grown so big." She hugged him. Then she noticed me. She had gray hair and hazel eyes. "Who's this?"

"That's my little sister, Talia." Alex smiled.

"Hi." I said.

"I'm sorry you had to meet your grandfather like this." She hugged me and there was something odd about her scent. It was… It was…"Petros always wanted a granddaughter."

"I'm sure he did." Fox agreed.

David and the doctor walked out and he rejoined us. I yawned. "You tired from the trip here, kiddo?" Alex looked at me.

"Lil' bit." I rubbed my eyes.

"Owen booked us a room at the inn. We sh-" David started to say.

"You're staying at the house. And having dinner with the family." Grandma Kara interjected firmly.

And I guess you don't argue with Grandma Kara because Fox drove us to a large two story house instead of the inn. David wanted to be with his father a little longer. We were ushered inside and a man hugged Alex.

I slipped out of the hallway and into the living room. It was light blue and spacious. I went to the bookshelf near the fireplace, picking up a photo album. I flipped to a random page. An old yellowed newspaper from 1981 was tucked inside. I unfolded it.

The headline read 'Girl survives plane exploding during storm' I read it. Apparently, a small passenger plane was heading back for land when something went wrong and it exploded. Petros and his crew were also caught out in the storm and saw something fall from the sky. It wasn't until a dolphin risked coming near the ship they knew something was up. One of the crew saw that there was a girl on its back. They rescued her and took her to the hospital. She was expected to fully recover.

"There you are, Tai. What you looking at?" Alex asked. I handed it to him. He read it. "Grandpa told me about this once. Said it was miraculous that she hadn't died. Oh, Mom wanted me to show you your room." He said.

I put the newspaper back in the album and followed him. The room was clean. The bed was made. I put my bag in my room and opened it, pulling out my toy fox.

"Aw, you couldn't leave home without him." Alex cooed.

"Dad put him in my bag." I frowned.

Alex furrowed his eyebrows. "This is your first night without Owen and Puck tucking you in, isn't it?"

"I'm a big girl." I huffed.

"You don't look like it." He teased.

"You don't act like an adult." I shot back.

"I'm a young adult." He smiled.

"Nah, you're just overgrown teenager." I gave him a wiry grin.

"Says the princess with a toy fox." Alex huffed confidently.

"I'm not the one who has to fix the family name." I taunted.

"You have the same last name as me, kiddo." He reminded me.

"Stop picking on each other. We're here for your grandfather." Fox warned.

"Ok, Mom." Alex sighed.

"Ok, Fox." I sighed too.

"Talia, you can't call me Fox while we're with family." She told me.

"Mom." I said.

"Very good. Now, come downstairs. Your father's cousins want to meet you." Fox waited for us. We went downstairs and the man from earlier and a lady who looked like David smiled.

"You're David's new daughter?" The man asked.

"Yeah." I said.

"I'm Linda and this is my husband, Mike." Linda told me.

"Hi." I waved.

"So, why did my cousin adopt you?" The Xanatos woman asked.

"Uh…" I paused. We did not go over this.

"She wasn't awake we decided. She was really hurt when Goliath found her and brought her to us." Fox explained.

"Ah, the Batman approach." Mike nodded.

Alex frowned. I poked his cheek. It was barely squishy. He looked at me and smiled. He shoved me a little. I was scooted to the armrest. Fox shot us a look. Alex moved me back to where I was before and folded his hands in his lap.

The family talked about things I didn't know. I got bored and playing with my magic quietly. I wanted to see how far my magic could go. It didn't go far. It went to the beach and I touched the water with it. It was cold. Alex's eyebrow quirked up, but he didn't say anything.

The door opened and I looked. It was David and Grandma Kara. My stomach growled and Grandma Kara got me and Alex a snack before she and Lydia went to go cook. We ate and after a while, dinner was ready.

I didn't recognize anything. It was Greek, but that was all I knew. I didn't take a lot. Alex frowned. I guess he heard that I sometimes forgot to eat or overate when I was left to my own devices. I liked the Spanakopita, spinach pie and Tiropita, cheese pie. The Psarosoupa, fish soup, was ok. The Dolma, rice stuffed grape leaves, wasn't my favorite. I knew what Baklava was.

I was sent to bed around 9. I couldn't sleep. I was too awake. Alex was allowed to stay up with the adults. It wasn't fair. I was 17.

"Grandma send you to bed early?" Puck cooed.

"Dad?" I asked.

"In the flesh. Now, let's practice your transfiguration again. Like at Christmas, but with humans." He told me.

"Ok." I got out of bed.

"Alright, kiddo, making a persona takes a lot of thought. Like how they act and behave-" Puck started.

"Like making a character?" I asked.

"Yeah, like that." He nodded.

I thought and came up with up with something. Then I wasn't there anymore. It was like I was looking through a glass door.

"Not bad, not bad at all." Puck smiled. "You have Fox's chin though."

"I'm Rachel Winters." She said.

"What do you do, Rachel?" He asked.

"I like setting fires." She said.

Puck looked at her.

"Kidding! I write books." She smiled.

He huffed with a wiry grin. "Can you make your next persona taller?"

I opened the door and I was back in my body. "O-" I felt powerful magic coming from the window. What was it?

"Tai?" Puck asked as something flew through the window and landed at my feet. I bent to pick it up. "Talia, no! That's the Phoenix Gate and the last time it was used, Brookl-" Puck moved it with his magic, but my finger hooked the golden nub protruding from it. It disintegrated and a Phoenix appeared.

"Uh oh." I said as it ate me.

"Talia!" Puck yelled.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The girl who fell from the sky

Puck's POV

Alex burst into the room. "What happened?"

"The Phoenix Gate took…" I frowned. Took who? I was right there, why can't I remember?

"We can't do anything about it, can we?" He asked.

"No…" I said.

"Wait, I think she's the girl who fell from the sky." Alex said, handing me a newspaper clipping.

I read it. A memory tugged at my brain, but I couldn't quite reach it. "She'll live."

"I guess we just have to have faith." Alex chewed his lip. I glared at him and he stopped. What was with these-this child and biting?

Puck's POV End

Talia's POV

Phoenix spit me out and I started speeding downward. It was raining and thundering. Fuck, fuck, fuck! What do I do?! I gotta slow down. I'll die at this speed. Um, what else… Adri showed me an article about cliff diving. What'd it say? Straighten out, point toes down, arms above head, right hand as a fist. Spread arms and legs and arch back when I hit the water.

I didn't hit the water how I was supposed to. A wave knocked me into the ocean and I coughed out the breath I was saving. The dark water tossed me around while I struggled to swim. I wasn't strong enough to get close to the surface. My lungs burned and I felt myself falling deeper into the ocean. Seawater entered my mouth as I gasped unwillingly.

I felt something smooth under my body. I grabbed it and held on. I wasn't going to last much longer. I felt rain on my skin and someone grabbing me as I lost the last bit of consciousness I had.

Talia's POV End

After the storm

Oberon's POV

Puck healed the child of her dangerous injuries and almost didn't notice me. He bowed.

"Puck, why did you save this child?" I asked.

"I don't know. I was compelled to." He told me, obviously disturbed. "The scent of the Phoenix Gate is strong on her, my lord. She is not from this time." He added.

"She is also… Avalon's princess." I furrowed my brows.

Puck shrugged and looked at the child again, petting her sea soaked hair. An unusual gesture. A fatherly gesture. "What do we do?"

I thought.  _"When she is free of Phoenix fire, you will remember the child you admire. Lest she be in grave danger, you are to remain a stranger."_

My spell overtook Puck and I sent him away. I brushed her hair away from her face and I found her hair to be soft under the brine. She was the Puck's child. I smiled. He was not above it all. "I bid you a safe journey, future princess." I kissed her forehead and left.

Oberon's POV End

Talia's POV

I woke up and looked around. I was in a hospital. Grandpa was there, asleep in a chair. His black hair had a little gray in it. He stirred and looked at me.

"You're awake." He said.

"What happened?" I tried to remember, but my head hurt.

"Your plane exploded and you fell into the ocean. My crew pulled you out of the water. What's your name?" He asked.

"Um, Talia?" Fuck, shouldn't have done that.

"The doctor said you shouldn't have survived that fall and be as unharmed as you are. They stopped the bleeding. Your back may hurt from when you hit the water. You probably have a headache. Don't stand up without the nurse's help." He told me.

"Ok." I said.

The doctor came in and said I had to stay for a little longer. I nodded then I asked for water. I drank slowly. Grandpa asked if I had any more family members. I said no. It was a couple days before I was allowed to leave the hospital. Grandpa came back with some clothes for me. They were plain and made for the cold. I left with him and he took me to his house. It looked almost the same.

There were no pictures Alex, he wasn't born yet. But there were pictures of David and I think, his mom. She was where he got his brown hair and probably not much else.

"That's my son, David and my late wife, Maria." Grandpa told me.

"Where's David?" I asked.

"Off in the big city." He sighed.

I thought. I had nothing. "Can I go lie down now?"

"Of course. Let me show you to your room." He took me to the room Alex showed me. "I'll be here if you need me."

"Ok." I yawned.

I undressed and got under the covers, falling asleep.

Talia's POV End


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Recovering

I woke up and wondered where I was for a moment. Then where my fox was. I wasn't in 2017 Bar Harbor, Maine, I was in 1981 Bar Harbor, Maine. And I fell in the ocean less than a week ago. How would I get home? Brooklyn said the Phoenix made him go on a 40 year journey. I hope I won't be gone that long.

"Talia?" Grandpa asked.

"I'm awake." I yawned.

"Breakfast will be ready soon." He left.

I got dressed and went to the kitchen. He made eggs and toast. I sat down and we ate. It was nice like eating with Mom or Owen. After breakfast, we watched TV for an hour. He asked why we came so late in the spring. I told him we were on vacation and I was home schooled. Then he asked where I was from. I told the truth: I was from Oregon, but moved to New York last year. He hummed.

He took me to the store with him. He let me chose some things to eat. 80's food looked different than 2017 food. We went back home and I rested. Then we had dinner and it was bedtime.

He could only stay home for a few days. He had a neighbor watch me until he got home because I was still hurt. I wasn't  _that_ hurt, but he wouldn't be swayed. She was nice though.

After the third week, I wondered if the Phoenix was going to come back for me. I altered my body a little. Nothing too noticeable, but the neighbor lady did squint when she saw me again. My eyes were less magic green and more normal people green. My hair was browner. I made the scars on my arms fade.

I was waiting for Grandpa to get home when I started feeling sleepy. I saw a blurry orange shape and decided it was the Phoenix.

Talia's POV End

Third Person

If you weren't observant, you would ignore the strange wave of heat in Cyberbiotics headquarters. You wouldn't notice how it started in the middle of the building and moved around, settling near the office of an Owen Burnett and lingered until early morning. You wouldn't hear the soft breathing of a young girl sleeping on the desk. The custodians certainly didn't. It was almost like magic.

Third Person End


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Too strange

David's POV

"Allow me to fetch the files from my office." Owen said. "I didn't real-"

"I'll come with you. I could use the walk." I smiled.

I followed him out of habit and routine. He opened the door to his office and walked in. It was only when I bumped into him I realized something was wrong.

"Why'd you stop?" I asked, backing up.

"There's a girl sleeping on my desk." He said.

"What?" I looked past him and saw that he wasn't lying. She was of mixed race, white and Asian from what I could see. She had wavy black hair and wore a peach pastel t shirt.

Owen walked over and paused before maneuvering around her to get the files. He handed them to me. "Here you go, sir."

"How'd she get in here?" I asked, walking toward the desk. "Someone should have noticed." I reached out to wake her, but Owen grabbed my wrist roughly. I looked at him and he seemed surprised by his own action. He let go.

"We should tell Mr. Renard." He said lamely, for him at least.

"Your phone's right there." I pointed to it.

He took great care not to disturb the girl as he dialed our boss's number. "Hello? Is Mr. Renard there? No, it's not an emergency, just something unusual came up. I found a girl sleeping in my office. She's not my daughter."

Something about how he reacted made me almost doubt it. She clearly brought out a side of Owen nobody thought he was capable of. Upon closer inspection, she had his nose and ears. Or Vogel's, but it rubbed me the wrong way to think of her as the dark haired man's daughter. But Owen was too young to have a high school aged child.

Owen hung up and picked up the girl in a smooth manner, resting her head on his shoulder. "Apparently, the security cameras didn't pick up anything until we walked in. Mr. Renard wants to ask her some questions."

I didn't point out that she could explain to us if he would just wake her up. Renard would probably accuse me of corrupting her somehow. If this was some kind of prank, it was a terrible one. Maybe she did it for kicks and giggles, but I doubted that. Why would a teenager sleep in an office building? Did someone break in and leave her? That just seemed overcomplicated.

We walked to Mr. Renard's office. Everyone was already gossiping by the time we got to the elevator. Owen ignored them like always. It made things so much worse since he seemed ready to punch out anyone who got too close to the girl. Which was bad for me since I was following him.

"Do you like kids?" I asked.

He looked at me. "I suppose there's a certain charm to them."

"Do you know this girl?" I ventured.

"No." He said.

I frowned. Why were his actions so different from his words? He was obviously smitten with the child in his arms. For whatever reason.

We got to Renard's office and went inside, closing the door. They both raised their eyebrows at the sight of Owen carrying the little troublemaker. You haven't seen anything yet.

"Why is she still asleep, Mr. Burnett?" Renard asked.

"I… I didn't have the heart to wake her up." He admitted.

"Was the door to your office tampered with in any way?" Vogel asked.

"No. Everything was the way I left it except the girl." He answered. His eyes held a special venom toward the dark haired look alike. Something to the tune of "You touch this child, you die horribly."

Vogel didn't flinch, but he did make sure not to look at the girl too long in case Owen took it as a threat. Which wasn't a bad assumption, given that this girl had brought the literal biggest shift in his personality since I had accidentally annoyed him so much and became a victim to his passive aggressive pranks a few months back. And that was nowhere as big as this.

"Well, we won't get any answers like this. Wake her up." Our boss told him. He had noticed Owen's behavior too and decided that the best course of action was to let Owen deal with the girl as he seemed so dead set on doing.

He gently shook her, but she just groaned and nuzzled her head into his shoulder. "Time to wake up, Sweetheart."

We all looked at each other. Sweetheart? The girl opened her eyes and yawned.

"Daddy?" She asked sleepily.

"I'm not your father." He said softly. "Can you tell us how you got in?"

She looked around and furrowed her eyebrows. "This isn't Grandpa's house."

She didn't know where she was?

She rubbed her eyes. "Where are we?"

"This is Cyberbiotics headquarters. Where does your grandfather live?" Owen was patience with her.

"Bar Harbor, Maine. He's gonna be so mad when he gets back from fishing." My heart seized irrationally.

"You're a long way away from Maine." I chuckled.

Her eyes widened and she looked at me. She opened her mouth, but whatever she wanted to say died on her tongue. She seemed just as shocked when she saw Renard and Vogel. Owen was very displeased that I had startled her. How was I supposed to know she still too sleepy to realize there were more than two people in the room?

"What's your name?" Renard asked.

"Talia Jones." She answered.

"Talia, what's your last memory?" Vogel asked. Owen  _sneered._

"I was waiting for Grandpa to come home and then I got sleepy." She said honestly.

We thought. Was she kidnapped? Why was she left in such a bizarre place? It made no sense.

"It seems we've reached an impasse. Vogel checked the footage and it didn't show anything. It flowed normally and didn't freeze." Renard said.

Her stomach growled. "I didn't get to eat since then."

"I'll get you something soon, Talia." Owen soothed, making her name sound like an endearment itself.

I stared at the blond. Did he not hear himself? He couldn't be this obvious. His eyes met mine with a clear message; slightly different than the one he gave Vogel, "This is my girl and you especially aren't allowed to touch her. Ever."

"Go get her some food then take her to the police." Renard instructed.

"Yes, sir." For the first time in my life, I felt like he was straight up lying. He left with Talia still on his hip.

"Sir, he can't be left alone with her. You saw how he's been acting-" I said.

"And how exactly is Owen acting?" He asked.

"Like-like a hen with chicks! He was ready to punch out anyone who got close to her when we were walking here. And don't tell me you didn't see the death glares he gave us." I gestured to Vogel.

"He did seem to become aggressive with it came to Talia." The bow tie wearing man agreed.

"Owen has proven himself to be trustworthy time and time again. Just because he doesn't know how to process these emotions, doesn't mean he's going to let them overtake his actions." He barked at us.

"Yes, sir." We intoned.

"Now, get back to work." Renard told me.

I left and decided to ignore that command. Owen was acting way too strangely for me to leave alone with the cause of his altered behavior. I realized I had no idea where they went. I walked up to a cubical.

"Did you see Owen go by? Owen Burnett." I asked.

"Oh, yeah. He went that way. Who was that girl with him?" They pointed toward the restrooms.

"She wandered in." I said.

"How?" The phone jockey asked.

"That's the million dollar question." I mused and went on my way.

As I saw Owen and Talia down the hall, they started walking toward the elevator. And the odd thing (aside from Owen all but claiming her as his own) was that they seemed to predict each other's movements instinctually. I frowned as the elevator with them in it closed and the down light dimmed. He was probably taking her somewhere. I had to catch up to them before they left the building. I jogged down the stairs as quickly as I could. I just barely caught them at the front desk when Talia was choosing a piece of candy.

"Mister Xanatos." Owen said unamused.

"Hello, David. Owen was introducing us to this little darlin'." Margret, an older woman originally from the South, gestured to Talia. Talia looked at me and I noticed her eyes. They were a strange green and had small brown, not hazel, splotches in them.

"Doesn't she have the prettiest eyes? Never seen anything like 'em in my life." She smiled.

Talia scooted toward Owen's side. Her quietness, unlike Owen's, could be perceived as cute. Owen glared at me.

"Me either." I agreed.

"Buy the poor dear a comb while you're out, won't you? It looks like she got caught in whirlwind." Nancy, the other lady at the front desk, cooed.

"Owen, what are you doing down here?" Janine Renard, Mr. Renard's daughter, walked in.

"Mr. Renard gave me permission to clock out early." He said.

"It's 2 in the afternoon!" I frowned.

"Fox." Talia said suddenly.

"Yes, renard does mean fox." Owen told her.

Talia looked at Janine's tattoo. Their eyes met and the older woman raised her eyebrow and looked at me.

"I must get my- Talia something to eat. We've dallied long enough. Say good bye." Owen prompted her.

"You haven't had lunch?" Janine asked.

" _I've_  had lunch. Talia has not." He explained, trying to escape with the girl.

"Who are you anyway?" The redhead asked Talia.

"Talia." She answered.

"No, honey, she wants to know why you're here." Margret smiled.

"I got kidnapped and I woke up here. Dad's gonna-" She lost Janine immediately.

"My name is Owen." He corrected.

"Owen's gonna get me lunch and take me to the police station." She continued.

"Actually, Talia, I could give you enough money for lunch and a-" I interjected, making the mistake of stepping toward her.

I was on the floor before I knew what happened, nose bleeding. Janine knelt down next to me. The ladies at the desk gasped.

"She is a  _lost_ child, Mister Xanatos. She doesn't know her way around Manhattan. I will not allow her to be kidnapped again because you want me to help you." He wiped the, my blood off of his knuckles with a handkerchief.

"I wasn't suggesting that." I held my nose and sat up.

"Owen, apologize!" Janine gave me some tissues.

He led Talia toward the door.

"Apologize to David, Owen!" Janine yelled at him.

"I will not. Talia needs me." He said, pausing. "I suggest you go get some ice and get back to work."

"Owen Robin Burnett, apologize to David this instant!" Margret glared, using her mother voice.

He turned. "I'm sorry, Mister Xanatos. I'll control my temper better next time."

Talia looked at Owen. He pretended not to notice. It was a rare thing to see an adult get the full name ultimatum.

"Apology accepted. May I borrow your phone?" I asked Margret and she let me.

"Mister Xanatos!" Owen objected.

"I'll be fine, Owen. Everyone, except you, skips out at least once." I finished clocking out.

"Don't forget why you're leaving early, Owen." Nancy told him.

He looked at Talia. She gave a small smile and her eyes had a trusting shimmer to them, like a child to their parent. His gaze softened and his lips curved up just enough. "I'll get her home."

"I'm coming with you two." Janine announced.

Owen led us to his car and I was forced in the front with him instead sitting next to Janine. Owen asked if Talia bucked in and she said yes and we were off to lunch with a young girl who seemed to have Owen wrapped around her pinkie.

David's POV End


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Lunch with my future parents

Talia's POV

Dad drove us to a corner store and we went in. I think David thought Owen was going to kidnap me and was trying to keep an eye on him. Oh, he was not doing great. He could have whisked me away while you were blinking. Keep your eyes open, David.

Owen looked at me and I stopped blinking us out of his sight. Now, I remembered why Owen was Owen. He looked over the combs and chose one for me. We passed by the candy aisle and I chose something I knew wouldn't be gone in the future. Owen let me keep it. He paid for my things and we went to the car. He tore the tag off the comb and started using it on me.

"Ow!" I said as he caught a nasty tangle.

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart. I'll be careful." Puck's magic untangled the bad ones, but he left the small ones for the comb. He smoothed my hair down and then it became slower.

"Owen, are you… playing with her hair?" Fox asked, reaching out.

We held our breath, but Owen didn't knock flat on her ass.

"Wow, it's so soft! Like silk or something." She marveled.

"I'll take your word for it." David quipped.

"Dad-" I said.

"Owen." He corrected.

"Can we go eat now?" I asked.

"Of course, Sweetie." He almost pressed his lips to the top of my head.

David and Fox were trying to keep it together. They probably never saw Owen like this before. We got in the car and he took us to a Chinese restaurant. It had pandas on the walls. We ordered and then we got little bowls of soup.

"So, Talia, what were you doing at your grandfather's?" David asked.

"Um," I set my spoon down. "We were on vacation, but my, uh, parents died in a freak accident."

"That's terrible." Fox frowned.

"Yeah, I don't really remember what happened." I frowned.

"So, Talia, where did you go to school?" Fox asked.

"I was homeschooled." I told her.

The adults quieted.

Owen frowned at me when I drank from the soup bowl. There wasn't enough left to bother with the spoon. The waitress took our dishes away. Then the food came and they decided to let me eat. I ate and then Owen paid for my food and put in the carton while I broke the cookie open. David had to pay for his and Fox's meal.

We went back to the car and then we went to the police station. Owen told David and Fox to meet back at the car in 30 minutes because it was hot. We went started walking and then Owen spoke.

"Talia, I found you near my work and then you are going to tell the police what you told Mr. Renard. Ok?" He said.

"Ok." I nodded.

The precinct was bustling with activity. Owen talked to the lady at the front desk. She led us to someone else and then we were sitting at a desk. The metal plate said M. Chavez. The calendar said June 1989.

"What can I help you with?" She asked.

"We need an out of state address. Bar Harbor, Maine. Talia, do you remember your grandfather's name?" Owen looked at me.

"Petros Xanatos." I answered and he furrowed his eyebrows a tiny bit.

"Alright. Give me a few minutes and I'll have it." She got up and left.

"Why isn't she using Goo- the internet?" I sloppily rephrased the question.

He looked at me.

"Never mind." I said, looking away. Fuck, when was the internet invented?

"What exactly  _is_  the internet?" Owen watched me.

"I, um, I must have read it in a sci-fi novel." Oh, God… "It, uh, it's like network of information shared with a bunch of computers…"

"How many computers?" He asked.

"7 billion…" I muttered.

He raised his eyebrow. "And you could find out your grandfather's address with it?"

"Yeah." I fucked up.

The lady came back. "Follow me."

We followed her to the captain's office. The captain was a man with almost gray hair. Something about him reminded me of Elisa. No, wait, there's pictures of Elisa and her siblings. So, is this her-

"I just had a very interesting conversation with the Bar Harbor police captain, Talia. Apparently, you went missing 8 years ago." Elisa's dad told me.

"I didn't run away!" I protested.

"It's alright, Talia. We just need to know what happened." He said calmly.

"Um, I was waiting for Grandpa to come home and then I got sleepy. BUT the last thing I saw was a blurry orange shape." I told him.

"That's all you remember?" Mr. Maza asked.

"Yeah…" I said.

"Then what?" Ms. Chavez asked.

"Da- Owen woke me up." I said.

They looked at Owen and then me. They seemed more confused now.

"I look like her father, but I'm too young to be her father. I'm 27. If what you're saying is true, then she should be about 25." Owen looked at me. I nodded.

"So young…" Mr. Maza trailed off. "The captain left a message on your grandfather's phone. We should hear back from him before too long."

"He gets home at 6." I said.

Owen stood up and we looked at him. He held the detective's and chief's gaze. Puck's magic hypnotized them. Then he made me invisible and I followed Owen back to the car. He took Fox back to their work then David back to his apartment. Then Owen drove to another building. We rode the elevator up and he unlocked the door to his apartment. I walked in and turned visible when the door clicked shut.

There wasn't any furniture at all. The fridge was barely stocked. It was too clean. Owen's scent was sparse and nearly indictable. Puck's however…

"You're not 25, are you, Talia?" Owen asked.

"No." I said.

"Was the rest of it true?" He pressed.

"Enough of it." I answered.

"You know who I truly am, don't you?" He finally asked.

"Yes." I said.

He stared at me for a moment then scooped me up. He kissed my cheek. "Mine. You are mine."

"Daddy…" I whined as he covered me in kisses.

"I have been patience long enough." He nuzzled me.

I waited until he got all his cuddles out. Which was not easy. Puck made a couch and Owen set me on it before sitting down himself. Owen turned into Puck.

Puck snapped his fingers and I felt my mind getting fuzzy.

"What did I do…?" I asked before my eyes shut.

Talia's POV End

Puck's POV

"What did I do…?" Talia looked at me with betrayed eyes.

I felt a slight knot in my throat, but I untangled it as I de-aged her. Owen was barking up a storm about how I hurt  _his_ baby. Just the scent of her drove him into a cooing cuddle bug. Like come on man, you're making me look bad. I know this is your second encounter with a Halfling, but sweet Jesus…

"She still smells like you…" I frowned as I held a 5 year old Talia. Ok, maybe she  _did_  have a bit of him in her, but that's still not an excuse for becoming a lovesick fool.

She stirred and rubbed her eyes. "Daddy?"

"That's right, Talia. I'm your daddy." I smiled.

She hugged me. "I love you."

I petted her hair.

" _Are you going to be a coward? If you won't say it, I will."_ Owen hissed.

"I love you too, kiddo." I kissed the top of her head.

I had felt her hair through Owen, but that didn't do it justice. It was softer than soft. It was something absolutely Fae. Before I knew what was happening, her scent overwhelmed me and I almost lost it. I reigned myself in enough not to become an idiot, but a few more kisses to her forehead and cheek slipped out. She giggled happily.

What the hell was that? I tentatively sniffed the air around her. Was her magic making pheromones based on what she felt or wanted? I petted her hair again. That, that was where it came from. Owen must have been huffing the stuff since he opened the door to his office. Is that why Owen punched Xanatos? Was she scared of him?

"Daddy?" Talia asked.

"You need a bath." I picked her up.

"No bath!" She whined and her scent changed to one of reluctant and I felt it grow stronger as I didn't do what she wanted. I think her powers were stronger because she was younger. I was suddenly glad that Owen had encountered the older Talia.

"You're stinky. You need a bath." I told her.

"Nooo!" She stubbornly continued.

"You can play some duckies and bubbles. It'll be fun." I smiled.

Talia frowned deeply; it was cute, as I got the water ready. She behaved as I put her in the warm water and got her hair wet. She played with the rubber duck and had the nerve to splash me and put a bunch of bubbles on my cheek. She was aiming for my nose, but I was quicker. I dried her off afterward and put her in some "jammies" so I could wash her clothes. They weren't as bad as say a jogger going laps around the park, but might as well go all the way.

"You hungry, Sweetie?" I took her leftovers out of the fridge.

"Hamburger." She told me.

"Don't you want your noodles?" I asked.

"Nu huh." She shook her head.

I huffed, smiling. So finicky, so Fae-like. "Stay right there and I'll be back."

She was trying to get out of the chair I put her on when I got back with her Happy Meal. We ate our dinners; the older Talia seemed upset that I didn't have enough food in the fridge, and I let her watch TV until she started yawning. If Owen were out, he'd surely start yawning too.

"Come, little one. It's bedtime." I picked her up.

"It's magic time." She protested.

"Magic time?" I repeated.

She nodded.

"What do you do during magic time?" I asked.

"New magic." She explained.

"Show me what you know already." I put her down.

She showed me and it was all beginner stuff. Well, what I call beginner stuff. I thought.

"Let's grant some wishes tonight." I smiled.

"Ok." She yawned.

"We'll stay in the city, ok? Then you can go sleep." I said.

"I'm not sleepy." She insisted.

I just smiled.

I flew her around a few blocks and taught her how to grant wishes the trickster way. Someone wants a pony? Give 'em a toy pony. Want more money? Make 'em a few cents richer. My favorite part of the night was when she misheard immortality as morality. Probably gave that sucker the shock of his life. She was started to make  _me_ sleepy so it was time to put the kiddo to bed.

I took her back to Owen's apartment and placed her on the couch before putting her to sleep and turning her into her 17 year old self again. I brushed her hair and gave her a little kiss before Owen started whining and I let him out. He kissed her forehead and played with her hair, adjusting the stuffed fox's ears when he noticed they were crooked. I just had to give it to her. I placed her clothes on the coffee table with a backpack for her jammies and toys.

When Owen woke up the next morning, we felt as though something was missing, but I had no idea what. When did Owen get Chinese food? Why did I decide to furnish his apartment? Oh well, it's better this way. We have something to sit on now.

Owen ate the leftover noodles reluctantly like they weren't ours. For reason, the only comparison that fit was that we were taking candy from a baby. It felt wrong. Puck is many things, but being an asshole to children isn't one. The feeling came back as he stepped in his office. Like someone important to us had passed through recently and we missed them. Xanatos asked if Talia got home and Owen raised his eyebrow. He took it as an answer when it truly wasn't.

Puck's POV End


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Back again

Someone shook me awake. I wiped the tears from my eyes. What was that dream? It felt so real, the hurt felt so...

"Talia, is it really you?" Grandpa asked. His hair was fully gray now.

"Where am I?" I asked, sitting up.

"Bar Harbor, Maine. Koreetsi mou, it's been 14 years. Why do you still look the same as when you were taken from me?" He frowned.

"Has David gotten married?" I asked.

"Yes… You're a time traveler." He concluded.

"Not in same way David was. He got to control where he went. The Phoenix is just taking me wherever it wants." I said.

"There must be a reason for this." Grandpa thought.

"… I think I know why now. In the future, Fox's dad is dead and… you aren't doing too good. I think the Phoenix is… letting me spend time with you?" I told him.

"Quite an odd sense of time." He quipped.

"It's weird. It feels like it's only been a day since I saw you." I shrugged.

"Get dressed and you can tell me about your adventure over breakfast." He left.

Get dressed? I looked down and saw I wasn't in the clothes I was in when I went to Owen's apartment. I was in jammies with tiny stars and moons everywhere. I got up and looked in the backpack on the dresser. It had my clothes and a toy fox that looked like my old one minus the tag and a Happy Meal toy, Garfield in a jeep. What happened when my mind went fuzzy?

I got dressed and went to breakfast. It was Spanakopita, toast and yogurt. It turned out Spanakopita was breakfast food. I guess Grandma Kara wanted me to try it. I told him the real version of what happened without giving away the future. The really important bits. The part where I was taken away to New York was trickier since I met Dad there and was asleep for the beginning and end of it. I managed though, saying I had passed out after lunch.

"I'm glad you are safe, Talitsa." Grandpa rubbed his chin. "What puzzles me is how the Phoenix took you without anyone noticing." He frowned.

"I dunno." I shrugged. I just thought Owen was asleep when the Phoenix took me. He's probably not worried… He knows I wasn't supposed to be there long.

"No matter, you're here now." He smiled.

"Yeah." I said.

He said that he had gotten a bit of hope 6 years ago when the local police chief left him a message that I, his granddaughter, was in Manhattan, but no one at the 23rd precinct remembered why they had called all the way out to Maine. I said it was a mystery.

I tried not to lie too much anymore because Puck said my words were more binding than when I was a human, but I could still go back on my word and lie, it just wasn't a good idea around other members of the Third Race, mainly Dad. Lying to Dad was a bad idea.

He told how he had been doing since I was taken. The fishing business was still doing good. He was doing fine. He hadn't given up searching for me all the time I was gone. He wouldn't hear my apology though.

"How are you healing?" He asked.

"It's only been a day for me. It's the same it was 14 years ago so still healing, I guess." I reminded him.

"Today is Sunday so I can stay home." He told me.

"Ok." I ate my toast.

I finished breakfast and we watched TV. After lunch, the Phoenix came. I got my backpack from my room.

"My ride's here. I'll see you later… Grandpa." I smiled.

"Goodbye, Talitsa mou. I'll be waiting for you." He kissed my forehead.

I was engulfed in flames.

* * *

**Greek Translations**

**Koreetsi mou: My girl**

**-itsa: A diminutive ending basically meaning little so "Talitsa" means little Talia**

**-itsa mou: My little**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The girl who fell from the sky: Part 2

Vogel's POV

We were on our back to Fortress-2 when there was a flash in the sky.

"Look out!" A girl's voice yelled from above.

We looked up and saw a human shaped blob, but it was puffier, falling from the sky directly in front of us. It landed and bounced a few times before it deflated.

"I'm alive!" The girl shouted as the suit turned into a vest. She got up and dusted herself off.

"You're that girl that got into Cyberbiotics headquarters 7 years ago. Talia." Mr. Renard recognized her faster than I did.

I had forgotten about that incident. Perhaps because of how she made Burnett act toward everyone. It was a little freighting to hear that he punched Xanatos at the mere suggestion she take a cab.

"Does the name Goliath mean anything to you?" She asked.

"Yes, very much." He answered.

"I need to get back to Manhattan. I'm his friend." She said.

"He just left on his journey, but we will take you back to New York." Mr. Renard told her.

"Thanks." She smiled.

Talia followed us to Fortress-2 and we took off.

Vogel's POV End

Talia's POV

Grandpa Renard and Mr. Vogel got… Fortress-2 in the air and then he had Vogel fly the ship while he took me somewhere. It was the break room for them. There was only supposed be robots on this ship, but they got a virus from Fox and now they flew it. He got me a water bottle and we went to the table.

"Tell me Talia, how long do I have?" He went straight to the big question.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"After Owen took you to the police station, I did some research. 15 years ago, Petros Xanatos reported a Talia Jones missing. You look exactly the same as you did in those pictures." He explained.

The police insisted on taking some pictures of me because I was a lost kid. I should get rid of those. I stuffed all the '81-'96 photos of me in my backpack.

"… You die before the new millennium." I frowned.

"Do I live long enough to see my grandchild?" He asked.

I slightly nodded.

"I see." He pursed his lips.

Time travel is really shitty.

"How is my daughter in the future?" Grandpa Renard asked.

"She's fine. Still healthy. Still married to David." Was I giving too much away?

"At least, she respects some virtues." He sighed.

"Yeah…" I said.

We sat in silent for a minute.

"How did you get here, to the past?" He asked.

"There's this magic creature called Phoenix and it can time travel." I explained.

He asked about me. I answered with a little looser tongue because he's not going to meet me. He seemed to relax when I told him about my childhood. It got a little weird when I got to the part where I woke up in Manhattan and everything after.

Vogel announced that we were landing in Manhattan soon. We threw our empty bottles in the recycling and went to the cockpit. Then we landed and he offered me a place to stay, but I declined. I knew where I could go. It was almost morning. I teleported to the clock tower and went inside. It looked exactly like my visions. I sat in Hudson's chair and with my backpack in my lap, I slept.

Talia's POV End

Owen's POV

A strange scent, a mixture of earth, lilacs, and apple spice with Avalon in the background, tickled my nose and a strong compulsion tugged at me.

"Owen, are you alright?" Mister Xanatos asked.

"My apologies, sir." I told him.

"…Go take care of it." He said.

"If you insist." I left.

Owen's POV End

Puck's POV

I went to the clock tower and saw a girl in Hudson's chair. She was asleep. I sniffed her hair.

"I know this scent. I don't know how, but I know this scent." I inhaled too deeply and the gooey mushy feelings came back. Owen wanted out. I told him to get a grip. He rebelled in an impressive show of human determination. I let him out.

Puck's POV End

Owen's POV

I picked her up and held her. "Hello, Sweetheart. You're my future daughter, aren't you? You can't sleep in here. The gargoyles don't know you're here. Let's get you somewhere safer." Puck took us to my apartment in the Eyire Building.

I ran my hand through her hair. It was softer than a humans' was supposed to be. I nuzzled and kissed my daughter, marking her with my scent. Puck pointed out that no humans would be able to smell it. I didn't care. She was mine; she was supposed to smell like me. He also pointed out that she was mostly  _his_. I growled at him.

" _Easy there, Owen. You're letting her pheromones get to you."_  He told me.

"She trusts us. You know she does." I muttered.

" _That's what scares me. I_ _know_ _she does."_ Puck regarded the child.

"Then we must have met her before and don't remember it." I said, only slightly paying attention.

" _How?! How do we not remember this girl? That's a human problem not a… Oberon must have made us forget her under some circumstances."_ He concluded.

I didn't reply as I softly set her down on my bed and Puck changed her into the pajamas she had in her bag, which smelt of his magic. Almost everything inside it did, but the missing flyers. Talia Jones… Puck destroyed them.

I tucked her into bed and brushed her hair, kissing her forehead. I had been gone too long already. I needed to get back to work. Puck childishly pushed me aside to give affection to Talia before we had to leave. He nuzzled her and brushed her hair and gave her kisses. I noticed that his scent didn't overwhelm my human one due how much longer I had been marking her.

Owen's POV End

Talia's POV

I woke up and it was almost dark. "Goddamn it, not again." This wasn't the clock tower. It smelt like Owen. Was I home?

"Good evening, Talia." He stood in the doorway. His fist was stone.

"I was safe in the tower." I got up.

"Gears are not bells. They're a mild annoyance." He led me to the kitchen.

I sat at the table and he set a plate of crêpes in front of me. I put strawberry jam and whipped cream, folded it up and ate it. Owen watched me.

"You're being weird." I told him.

"You're Puck's daughter, yet you're mine as well." He frowned. "It's not supposed be like that."

"I don't know how it works either." I took another bite.

He didn't ask questions like Grandpa Renard had. We finished eating and he washed the dishes then I put my clothes on with magic and was about leave.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked.

"I can't stay here. You live alone." I said, choosing somewhere to go.

"Talia." He warned me. I went for it, but he pulled me back. "I need to keep you safe."

"That's future you's problem." I told him.

"No, it's my duty because you are here now." He explained.

"Please?" I asked.

"No." He said firmly.

I pouted. He nuzzled me until I lost my pouty face. Then I attempted to pout more, but his phone rang. He answered it.

"Hello? Ah, Mister Xanatos." He listened to him, his gaze never leaving me. "I-I cannot tonight. There is something else that needs my attention right now. The reports will be done, in the morning." He hung up.

"You made him curious." I said.

"I've been keeping secrets longer than your family's been alive." He retorted. "Now, where were we? Ah, yes. You were attempting to pout, but let's skip that and go straight to the cuddles." Dad picked me up and kissed my cheek.

"Nooo." I whined. "I gotta go 'fore David or Fox sees me."

"Hush now, Sweetheart. You don't have to worry." Owen cooed, stroking my hair.

I didn't settle down, David and Fox were still bad people in 1996, and he began purring. It was strange but comforting. I yawned. He kissed my forehead.

"There we go." He smiled. "Everything's fine, Sweetie."

I blinked sleepily; Dad could always put me to sleep, and rested my head on his shoulder.

Talia's POV End

Owen's POV

I laid her on the bed and then paused. The Phoenix was sitting at the foot of the bed. Puck took over.

Owen's POV End

Puck's POV

"10 more minutes?" I lied next to Talia and played with her hair, periodically kissing her temple.

The fire bird watched me, its body crackling softly. "Do you have to be a creep?" I asked. It continued to watch. I sighed and nuzzled Talia. I cuddled her and held her, not wanting to let go, but I knew I would have to.

Phoenix cawed and tugged… the girl toward it. "No! Don't take her! Please!" I shouted.

Why did I want this child? She was special, I could feel the magic in her, but there was something else. Something really important. I groped and swung the nearest thing I could reach at its face. It was her backpack. It let go and I remembered. She was my daughter. It beat its wings and blew me back. I hit my head on the stone wall. I growled and blasted it, but it blocked my attack with its wing.

"She's mine!" My eyes glowed and I charged another blast.

" _Her journey is not yet done, little Puck."_ Then the Phoenix was gone.

I howled in rage, but when I was done, I no longer knew what had upset me so much.

Puck's POV End


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Grandpa Renard

I woke up under a tree. It was nighttime, but the view was familiar. I got out the park and saw the stores nearby had Halloween decorations in the window. I ran as fast as I could to Manhattan General, barely remembering to ask what room he was in.

Mr. Vogel looked up from his paperwork. "Talia."

I went to Grandpa Renard and held his hand. He looked at me. "You were fine, I just saw you…"

"Alex, what is he like?" He asked.

"Alex is a kind man, good man. He's a hard worker. He's going to college. He- he likes playing video games and… making people laugh. He's a good brother." My voice wavered.

Grandpa Renard reached for an envelope. He opened it and took my right hand, slipping a ring on my ring finger. It had a moonstone and little olive green diamonds on a sterling silver band.

"Talia, you're a smart and kind girl. But you're also impulsive and stubborn. You need to start thinking ahead and of yourself and others. And sometimes that won't be enough, but at least you'll know tried." Grandpa Renard told me.

"I-I can't take this." I frowned.

"You will take your great grandmother's ri-" He steadied his breathing before he stressed his heart even more.

"Yes, Grandpa." I intoned.

Mr. Vogel's phone rang. "Hello? Yes, Fox, but I don't believe there is much time left. His condition has been worsening all day." He hung up. "Talia, when are you adopted?"

I thought and remembered that he hadn't come when I had  _actually_ been adopted. "2017. I should-"

"Stay." Grandpa Renard insisted.

"I'll be invisible to everyone." I told him.

"Fine." He nodded.

I turned invisible as the click clack of heels came closer to his room. Fox and Alex sat on his bed. Alex was so little.

"Daddy…" Fox frowned.

"Janine, I've always known you had your mother's spirit. We fought for a long time because of it, but you let me back into your life. I'm grateful for that. I love you." She hugged him.

"I love you too." She whispered.

They let go after a moment and he looked at Alex. "Alex, I'm sorry I won't be there to see you grow. Be kind and think of others."

Alex hugged him. "Ok, Grandpa."

Grandma came in next. She sat on the other side of the bed and held his hand. "Anastasia…"

"Halcyon, I did love you, but it wasn't your fault we couldn't stay together. I need you to know that." She told him.

"Hmm." He tried to nod.

Goliath was the last to show up. I went to the back of the room so no one would bump into me. "May you find peace with the wind, old friend."

The beeping of the heart monitor slowed down and flat lined. October 23, 1999; 11:30 pm. I slipped out of the skylight and I saw embers floating up from the side of the building. I looked over the side and jumped.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Demona and Macbeth

The inside of Phoenix was warm. I hadn't had a chance to really take it in before. It was like being surrounded by thick blankets. Toasty. Then I was spit out, landing in some bushes. I brushed myself off and got up. The air smelled cleaner. Living  _above_  the smog didn't get rid of it. I followed the sidewalk out of the park.

I was in a neighborhood soon after. The one story houses looked familiar. Across the street, there was a yard with a garden. It wasn't lit very well, but I knew my handiwork when I saw it, red and pink pansies next to the blue flower I could never remember the name of.

I crossed the street and looked in the window. The TV was on some late night show. Mom looked at the bills and got out my overnight bag. She went back to the kitchen and brought the vodka with her.

The walls shook as Demona and Macbeth stormed into the house. Demona held my mom at gunpoint. Macbeth disappeared and carried my younger self out of my room. She shouted at them, begged them.

"MOM! I'M OK!" I pounded on the window. My fist didn't break the glass. They watched her with glazed eyes. I renewed my efforts tenfold, magic amplifying every hit.

Then it was over.

They left the way they came. I looked over the fence as Demona casted a teleportation spell and I followed them. We were in Central Park. Macbeth set me down under the tree I had just woken up under less than an hour ago. They walked away and the Weird Sisters appeared.

"I don't understand why we had to use Macbeth and Demona. She is Avalon's princess." The blond one asked.

"Her power is waning, she's becoming mortal. We cannot interfere with mortal lives." The black haired one told her.

"It is too early for her to enter the game." The white haired one said and they made a ring around the tree.

" _Sleep young child until the time is right. Hidden from sight, go to the castle high by moonlight."_ They chanted and my younger self turned invisible.

"Come, we have been gone too long. Our cousins cannot be left alone." The black haired one said and they teleported back to Avalon.

The Phoenix took me away.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Wedding crasher

I was set down near a church. People were dressed in fancy clothes and eating. I mechanically changed my clothes to match the women's and changed my appearance to "less Talia". Browner hair, normal-er green eyes, faded scars.

I made a card and put it on the gift table. Then I was ushered to the buffet before I could slip away and forced to take some food. I tossed it in the trash. The moonstone glimmered in the sun.

"Talitsa?" He was wearing a black suit.

Tears started falling before I knew they were there. He led me away. I buried my face in his shirt and cried harder as he rubbed my back.

"It's my fault. I couldn't do anything, I couldn't save my mom! If I was never born…" I sobbed. I didn't want to time travel anymore. I wanted Dad.

"It's not your fault, Talitsa. You can't control where the Phoenix takes you. You're not to blame." Grandpa reassured. He held me until I was done crying.

"I wanna go home." I sniffed.

He wiped my face. "I know, you want some water?"

"Ok." I said.

I put my glamor on and I followed him back to the buffet. I got a little food and ate. Grandpa snacked, but mostly watched me. I didn't really taste anything. I just chewed until it was gone. I felt someone hug me. It was Alex. He was 6.

"Why're you sad?" He asked.

"My mom died." I smoothed his hair back.

"My con- condoll-" He twisted up his lips.

"Condolences." Grandpa told him. Alex nodded.

"Have you seen Alexan-" Owen paused, stunned.

A whirlwind of emotions passed over his face. I numbly wondered why he was so surprised. He hugged me. I buried my face in his chest. Smoke filled the room as a fire started from somewhere and everyone ran out. The sprinkles went off, soaking us. The Phoenix formed from the flames. Owen held me closer. Puck's magic bubbled over and his mortal form grew fangs, talons, and pointed ears. Their eyes blazed.

"Leave her alone!" Grandpa yelled.

" _I am returning her home."_ It said.

" _YOU HURT HER!"_  They snarled inhumanly.  _"YOU TOOK HER AWAY FROM US!"_

" _Everything that happened was destined to, little Puck."_ The Phoenix flapped its wings and I was taken away.

Talia's POV End

Alex's POV

The Phoenix appeared and spit Talia out. She had a backpack and was wearing a red satin dress with pink and gold trim. I frowned. That was like what Mom wore at Grandpa's wedding. I remembered that sad girl near the buffet table-

"Oh, no…" I whispered.

Talia began bawling, stumbling on her heels. Puck watched with glazed eyes before he snapped back into focus and caught her.

"Shh, it's ok, Sweetie, you're home now. Daddy's here. I'm here." He soothed.

The door opened.

Alex's POV End


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

The end of the Timedance

Alex's POV

Dad shut the door. "Why's Talia crying?"

"Something happened. The Phoenix took her and then…" I wiped my eyes.

"Pop just woke up, that's why I came, but let's let Talia calm before we do anything." He frowned.

Puck was sitting on the bed, rubbing her back. She clung to him. Dad left a box of tissues near them. Then he led me out. I stumbled. He caught me.

"It feels like Grandpa Renard died again. He-he was sick, but… I just saw him. He, she- I couldn't do anything!" I sobbed.

"It's ok, Alex, breathe." He rubbed my shoulder.

I hugged him, mumbling things I didn't comprehend. Her grief was mine. Our bodies tired, from having cried so much, and our breath steadied. Owen carried Talia out. His eyes were puffy and red too.

"Pop will understand if-"

"NO! No, we, we need to. Need to see him." They shook their head.

"Owen, you're not supposed to be here." Dad reminded.

Talia gripped Owen's suit. "I'll think of something."

We went downstairs and Mom drove us to the hospital. A storm kicked up. Talia was staring out the window. I gently held her hand. The storm calmed a little. We went to his room and Grandpa was awake. He didn't look so bad now. Talia crawled on to his bed and he held her.

"Koreetsi mou, I've missed you." He said softly.

"Grandpa…" She said.

"You're ok. It's not your fault." He brushed her hair.

He soothed her until she fell asleep. He talked with us for a bit. He didn't remember suddenly collapsing while his crew was sorting the fish. He told us that he had met Talia went she had Timedanced. The doctor came and kicked us out.

We went home after we knew he was going be ok. Owen stayed in a hotel, claiming he had important things for Dad to look at. We flew as far as we could; the helipad needed repair (Something about a missile), walked in the lobby. There was a man arguing with the receptionist. He had brown hair and murky gray blue eyes.

"C'mon, Talia, let's go!" A man grabbed her arm.

"Don't touch her!" Owen growled.

"And who the hell are you!?" The man snapped.

Puck tucked her behind him. "She is not yours anymore! You lost any rights to her when you committed that arson 15 years ago!"

"You can't stop me from taking Talia home." The man shouted, shoving them.

They snarled.

"She is MY daughter! I adopted her." Dad interjected. "I suggest you leave before I call the police."

"I'll be back." He stormed out.

"Owen, who was that?" I asked.

"Her birth father, Anthony Jones." He growled.

Alex's POV End


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Back

Talia's POV

The taxi stopped in front of St. George Residence Hall. I paid the man and was given change. I got out and went up to some girls. They paused when they saw me.

"Are you lost?" The blond asked.

I shook my head. Dread had seeped through out my body. I needed to see Alex, feel his magic. Puck couldn't soothe me with his magic.

"Does someone you know live here?" The brunette asked.

"Al-Alex Xanatos. Brother." A loud caw sounded behind me and I clung to the blond, shaking.

"We're taking you inside now." She told me. I was lead inside and sat on the couch.

I was back in Manhattan General, back on the airship. He was healthy, he was dying. Grandpa was young, old, older. Mom was packing my bag, she was on the ground.

"I think she's having a flashback or something." Someone said.

"Don't touch her; you'll only make it worse. Talia, you're at St. George Residence Hall." Someone told me.

"You need to call Alex right now. His sister's having a panic attack." Someone else argued and I covered my ears. I couldn't stop shaking, I was cold and hot and dizzy. My heart raced.

"Deep breaths, Talia. Breath in… and out. Breath in… and out. Breath in… and out." I did that a couple more times. "That's good. Talia, can you look at me? Open your eyes and look at me." I opened my eyes slowly and looked at the girl. "What color is my hair?"

"Br- Brown." I stuttered.

"What color is my shirt?" She asked.

"Gray." I was still dizzy, but my hands weren't clammy anymore.

"What color are my eyes?" She looked at me.

"Hazel." I said.

"What color is the couch?" She asked.

"Black." I told her.

"Talia, Alex is here. Is it ok if he sits in my spot?" She asked.

I nodded. He sat down. I reached out to him and he pulled me onto his lap. I held onto him. He brushed my hair, slowly lulling me to sleep.

Talia's POV End

Alex's POV

Talia rested her head on my chest, her grip now lax.

"She's asleep." I looked at the girl. "It would have been disastrous if she had to ride out that alone. I hate to imagine…"

"My mom taught me what to do in case she wasn't there to help with my dad. I know how bad it can get." She said.

"What's your name?" I asked her.

"Serena Anderson." Serena told me.

"There has to be something I can do for you." I said.

"It's not a big deal; she needed my help so I helped her." She insisted.

"I disagree, Miss Anderson. You calmed Talia down in a strange environment. Let him repay you." Owen said.

"If you insist." She shrugged.

"I very much insist." I carefully got up. "We gotta get Talia home. Owen, give her my cell."

He wrote down my number on a business card and gave to her. Then we went to the limo and drove home. My phone buzzed and I took it out of my pocket.

"Serena texted me. She said a crow caw triggered it. Although Tai was kinda skittish to begin with." I looked at him. "How'd you know she was there?"

"Phone." He said before frowning. "Alexander, your father wants to put Talia on medication."

"What if she gets the wrong combination or even just the dosage?!" I growled then glanced at Tai. She was still asleep if a little restless. I calmed her. "It's barely been three weeks."

"All points I brought up with your father. He believes this is the best course of action as her story too fantastical for most therapists to believe. And the only way she will heal is if they hear the true story." Owen said.

"He's not even trying." I glared.

"Yes, but he does have a point. We must be very mindful who we let care for you. A well-meaning doctor may put her on antipsychotics instead of what she actually needs." He paused. "There is no easy answer here, Alexander. The longer we fight about it, the longer she goes without anything. Perhaps once she is on medication, we can convince your father that therapy is an option."

"I don't like it." I frowned.

"I don't either." A subtle shift in tone, one that was easy to miss, told me how conflicted they were. How powerless they felt.

We pulled into the parking garage. I took her to her room and held her some more. Owen reluctantly left to tell Dad and Mom what happened. Talia woke up as I was about fall asleep.

"Hey, Tai. Owen came and took us home." I let her up.

"I'm tired." She told me.

"I know, but why don't you go potty first?" I asked.

"Ok." She left.

I tried to get the feeling back in my arm. She wasn't sleeping a lot or eating. I knew Puck and I couldn't protect her all the time. But Owen said they had to be careful who let care for us. If the person already knew what we were then we wouldn't have to lie. The only problem was that most of the people we could hire were mortals. Asking for a Child helper was out of the question. They would resent Talia and possible me. Maybe if I could…

A knock jolted me from my thoughts.

Alex's POV End

Owen's POV

A little bit earlier

Mister Xanatos and Fox reacted as I expected. Terribly. They were upset she had slipped out, especially with how she upset been since she came back from her Timedance.

My phone rang. I picked up. "Hello, Mr. Burnett, it's Preston Vogel. I've gathered Talia's inheritance. When can I drop it off?"

"Does 2:30 this afternoon work?" I asked.

"Yes." He answered.

"Why does this show as an unknown number?" Puck needled.

"I got a new work phone. Have a good day." He hung up.

Reynard must have saved some stock for Talia. Luckily, it was still valid as Alexander hadn't been able to do much with the company since he had just turned 20. I knocked on Talia's bedroom door.

"Just me. Tai went to the bathroom." Alex said.

"Vogel is coming in half an hour. He has her inheritance. I assume you want to be there. I will go find her." I said.

I updated Mister Xanatos and found Talia lying in the hallway. She was fine, just exhausted. I picked her up and sniffed her hair. It was stale and greasy. I took her back to the bathroom, running the water. She didn't react negatively to being washed; although I would have liked her to do  _something._  I dried her off then I dressed her.

I joined the rest of the family in the Great Hall. Vogel had a small case and an envelope. Talia opened the envelope and gave me the paper inside. It was stock like I had thought. Vogel opened the case for her.

"Is that…" Fox asked.

"Your grandmother's jewelry, yes. Mister Renard saved it for her. He wanted me to keep quiet about it until Talia was adopted." He answered.

Talia rubbed her hands through the strand of pearls, the most I had seen her do in awhile. I let her play with them. Fox put the rest away. He said goodbye to her then left.

Titania appeared in a glimmer. "Hello, children. Lord Oberon wishes for you to visit Avalon."

Owen's POV End


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Avalon part 1

Alex's POV

Mom and Dad were up in arms as soon as they comprehended what she had said. Owen wasn't happy at all. Tai didn't want to stand anymore and laid on the floor.

"Granddaughter?" Grandma asked.

"Tired." She mumbled.

"Guys don't." They looked at me. "We'll go, it's better if I explain it in person."

"Alex, are you sure?" Mom asked.

"Yeah." I nodded. "How much sass can I get away with?"

"40%'s pushing it, but it's not like he won't expect  _no_ sass." Puck said.

"I can do 40." I nodded.

"Come, children, let's go to Avalon." Grandma said.

We landed on the beach. Grandmother and Coyote were waiting there. Tai landed on Coyote. She knocked him over, her fall broken with a soft twump. Her touch turned him into a human sized version of his namesake and she petted his side.

"Talia, we gotta go to the castle." I told her.

"Nu huh." She hugged Coyote tighter.

"I know you're tired, but we have to." I frowned.

"Tired." She repeated.

"Coyote, carry the princess." Grandmother told him and he got up, balancing Tai on his back.

"Yes, Grandmother." He intoned.

We walked to the castle. Tai still hadn't found the energy to get up and walk on her own two feet by the time we got the throne room. Oberon was immediately concerned.

"What is wrong with the princess? Why is Coyote carrying her?" He asked, already scowling.

"My lord, I will explain, but in private. It is a… of familial origin." I said.

"Very well. Bring the princess." He said tersely.

I picked Tai up, but she wasn't letting go of Coyote. "Tai, now is not the time to be stubborn."

"Night night time." She barely spoke and had accidentally knocked out Coyote with the rhyming repetition.

"Yes, you'll get to sleep, but you have to let go of him first." She considered my words and reluctantly let him go.

We went to Oberon's study. It was filled with books and magic objects. I set Tai on the lounging couch. I gave her my hoodie and she snuggled it.

"It started when Grandpa Petros had suddenly collapsed and was sent to the hospital. We went to see him. After we had dinner with the Xanatoses, Talia had her lesson with Puck. Then the Phoenix Gate flew in through the window and took her. When she came back, she was crying. Grandpa Petros recognized her when he woke up.

We don't know what really happened, but Mom said that ring on her finger belonged to her grandmother. And then Vogel delivered her inheritance, some stock in Cyberbiotics and the rest of the jewelry we thought went missing. I think she must have met Grandpa Renard at some point." I shrugged.

"I thought it odd that the Phoenix was near the hospital." Grandma thought.

"How long has it been since your grandfather woke?" Lord Oberon asked.

"Three weeks." I frowned.

He hummed. "Take the princess to her chamber then return to Great Hall."

Talia was asleep by now and I picked her up. A few of Grandma's servants showed me the way. It was a canopy bed and across from it was a fireplace. There were several tapestries on the walls, depicting various events from Avalon's history. They took Talia from me and striped her down. I felt Oberon's command tug at me. I waited until she was settled to go.

Lord Oberon introduced me to everybody and I had to stand there while they bowed. It was so boring, but I couldn't show it like I could in the mortal world. After that, Grandma showed me around the island. The island was pretty, but I wasn't interested in looking around right now.

Then we went back inside and she let me go do what I wanted. I could sense Tai again. She was still asleep… But someone was with her. I went back to Tai's chamber. It was Adri; she was sitting in a chair and drawing, and a… projection of Puck? He was playing with his magic.

" _Shh, if Oberon knows, I'll never be able to do this again."_ Puck told me telepathically.

"So, when'd you get here?" I asked.

"Your grandma got me. I think you were with Oberon." Adri stretched.

"It's been like an hour here, hasn't it?" I sat on Tai's bed. She rolled over.

"Closer to two, but yeah." Puck said.

"So, Tai been ok so far?" I petted her hair.

"She woke up briefly, a little disoriented, but I calmed her down. Cuddled Adri, went back to sleep." He shrugged.

I frowned.

"Alex, it's barely been a month. Tai's always taken more time to deal with big emotions. She was upset for weeks when her grandma's dog died." Adri said.

"Grandma?" We asked.

"Not like her actual grandma. Tai's mom worked for her. She ran a plant nursery. Died after Tai went missing." She colored in something.

"What're you drawing?" I gestured.

"Just practicing people." She had Puck bring it over.

There were scattered figures throughout the few dozen pages. She practiced different races and shapes of people. Some were more complete than others and also colored in. I flipped through until I saw women in lingerie, the newest looking way too much like Talia. I slammed it shut.

"Look, if you wanna do something fun, you better do it quick. Dinnertime's coming up and Oberon'll throw a bitch fit if you're not there." He told me.

"What you guys even do for fun?" I asked.

"Pranks, competitions, games. Sometimes we fuck each other. Oh, did I ever tell you about the time me and the boys-" Puck grinned because he knew how good of a story teller he was.

"I'm not listening." I left.

I didn't want to find out if it'd be a raunchy one or not. At least not with my sister and her girlfriend in the room. I gave Adri a set of headphones that would block out anything. Maybe, it'd block out a lot of things.

I ended up leaving the castle entirely. Walking down the mountainous path and past the royal apple orchard, I wandered through the old-growth forest. A summer breeze tousled my hair. I noticed a path branching off the main one. I followed it. It was a glade. There was a small steam running through it. I took my shoes off and sat on an out cropping above the stream. The water felt good on my feet.

I mulled over the situation. What Adri said may have been true, but Tai was still having nightmares and the like. She needed someone to protect and care for her. And keep her safe, too. It'd be better if they were loyal to us. And knew about our powers, that'd make things easier. But…

I growled. This was frustrating. I wasn't getting anywhere and there wasn't anyone around who fit what I wanted in a servant, bodyguard for Tai.

Maybe I'd think better after a break. The forest was quiet. I felt like it was mocking me now. The prince of Avalon is bored? We're not gonna help you.

My phone rang. I answered it. "Hello?"

"Hey, Xander." Renee smiled. "Your dad said you're at your grandma's. How is it?"

"Kinda surprised my phone works. But it could be better." I shrugged.

"… You wanna come over? Relax a bit." Renee offered.

"Relax how?" I asked.

"Anyway you want." Her tone had some teasing promise to it.

"Sure, I got time. Now?" I stood.

"Bring Sanuye." She said.

I felt my fox tail grow and wag. "You mean it?"

"Yes, I mean it. Now, get going." Renee hung up.

I left that very second.

Alex's POV End


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Avalon part 2

Alex's POV

I stepped into Talia's room. Adri was lying with Tai again. Puck stopped me. "Not another step toward my baby, you reek."

"I showered." I muttered.

"With human soap, they don't have good noses. And brush your teeth. Actually, brush your teeth  _and_ mouthwash." He added.

"Alright, bossy elf." I frowned.

I went in the bathroom. He would never let me be if I disobeyed him. The bath was a wooden tub. A fire was lit under a cauldron. I guess that was hot water. I filled the tub, took my clothes off, and then they were gone. So much for that. Puck floated in as I got into the large bath.

"Must you?" I asked.

"I insist." He poured several cups of hot water in my bath, added some herbs. "So, how was your day out?"

"Good, fun. Renee and Sanuye were great." I hummed.

"That's my boy." He grinned.

"So, now you acknowledge me." I yawned. The warm water soothed my muscles.

"Talia is my chick, you're my student. Anyway, dinner is soon, you better not of spoiled your appetite." Puck washed my hair.

"Nah, just some cereal about half way through." I reassured him.

"Good." He nodded.

He rinsed my hair and washed my shoulders and back. I grabbed some body wash, it smelt like mint, and lathered it on. Puck added more hot water. I washed then I decided it was time to dry off. He pointed out where the towels were and left. I dried off, wrapping the towel around my waist.

After my hair dried, I combed my hair. Then I brushed my teeth and found the mouthwash. I gargled it then spit. My nose scrunched up at the taste. I drank some water. My eyes drifted to the fairy made clothes on the cabinet. They sorta resembled mine. I got dressed and stepped into Talia's room.

Tai was awake, playing with Adri's hair. I was allowed to go to them. Her eyes flicked toward me then forward.

"You hungry, Tai?" I asked.

"'Unno." She said.

"You wanna go outside?" I asked.

"Nu huh." She lied back down.

"You don't have to do anything, angel. We can just lay in the grass." Adri told her.

"Ok…" Tai droned.

"I'll be back in a bit, you know how the necklace works if you need me." Puck disappeared through Adri's door shaped pendant. It snapped shut.

"I'll get something for her to eat later. I don't think she should go to dinner." Adri whispered.

Grandma's servants came and some of them took me to the dining hall. The rest escorted Tai and Adri to the garden. I was seated next Grandma. Oberon's opening words were about how good it was that I was here and stuff. Then everyone was allowed to eat. People chatted and drank. My mind wasn't really on any pranks while I snagged a bit of quail from Anansi. His eyes narrowed and he assumed Coyote had done it. Then a small food fight broke out. I took the opportunity to nail Raven and few others.

"ENOUGH!" Oberon bellowed.

We put our food down. He snapped and everything was cleaned up. The rest of dinner went ok. We watched a full length play in the amphitheater afterwards. I didn't recognize it, but the others did. I smelt Tai's magic on the wind. It was a little bit better. Being outside must have improved her mood. Then it was bedtime. I was lead to my chambers. It was similar to Tai's. Someone knocked on my door. I opened it.

It was Adri and Tai. Tai bumped into me. I let them in and we cuddled. The servants woke us up in the morning. I yawned and shook them awake. They groaned, but decided it was worth it for food. We ate the small feast. There was eggs, toast, mini waffles, bacon, and berries, plus juice and milk for Tai and me. We made sure Talia ate some.

"Our Queen shall send you home after lunch." One of the servants said as they took our trays.

"What'd you wanna do now?" I asked.

"I dunno. I don't think Tai wants to go outside so soon." Adri looked at her.

"What about the library?" I asked.

"Eh." She grunted.

"Ok then, library it is." I said.

We got dressed, I'm pretty sure Tai could have gotten away with staying in her nightgown, but Adri convinced her otherwise. It took a bit to find the library. So I hadn't paid super close attention, but in my defense, I was worried about Tai.

It reminded me of the one back home. Rows and rows of thick books lined the room. I found a little nook and it had some soft bean bag things. Tai claimed one as hers. I waited as Adri looked for something to read. She came back with a small stack of chapter books.

"I didn't think Avalon would have kid's books." I said.

"I wanted something fun to read to Tai." She answered.

"Ok, don't wander off. I'll be back soon." I told her.

I wandered through the shelves, trying to figure out the system, when my feet started taking me further into the library. I didn't feel any magic compelling me, but I wasn't totally sure. Avalon was much stronger than me after all. I stopped at a section of spells. I grabbed a few and headed back.

"Hey, what's that?" Adri asked.

"Bunch of spells." I put them on the table.

"Just don't cast any." She told me, going back to the book in her hand. Tai was the most relaxed I had seen her since we left. She leaned on Adri's thigh and closed her eyes.

We read, I read; Adri had stopped some time ago and was holding Tai, until Grandma came to get us. I frowned at the thought of losing all the spells before I could cast any when Grandma said I could take them home. I sent them to my room. Then she lead us to the kitchen. She took a basket and we were in the courtyard.

"Children don't need to eat as often humans do. But it does take some time to break the habit of pretending." She smiled as she passed out the sandwiches.

"It's pretty here." Adri said.

It was sunny and warm. We were in a shaded spot. The trees rustled in the wind. Some birds sang. I smelled the flowers in the distance.

"Yes, it is." She agreed.

We had some chips, carrot sticks, and cookies after we finished the sandwiches. Grandma packed everything up and sent it away. We were taken to our rooms to get our clothes and stuff. Lord Oberon was waiting for us in the Great Hall.

Oberon pushed past me to touch Tai's cheek. She froze for moment. "Mourn, little one, for as long as you need to. Then you will start to heal."

"Ok." She said softly.

He kissed her forehead then stepped back. "Farewell, children. I do hope you enjoyed your visit."

"Bye." Adri waved.

"Yes, we did like our visit." I answered.

"I'll see you soon, Alexander, and you as well, Talia. " Grandma made a portal. We stepped through of the portal.

Two foxes, one brown and the other white and black, ran to Tai and jumped on her. Tai hugged the white one and it dragged her to our parents. The brown one followed close behind. I now noticed that there were a few more people beside them. In front of Owen, Renee and Sanuye petted the foxes.

Sanuye's hands were very noticeable next to Zara's fur, being copper with a yellow undertone. Her black pony tail slipped over her shoulder. The freckles across her nose and upper cheeks drew attention to her light brown eyes. The mole near the left side of her mouth moved as she smiled.

"Good girl, Zara. Now, give her to Owen." Sanuye told Zara.

Zara whined.

"Owen is her daddy." She explained. Zara huffed and gave Tai to Owen. The brown fox jumped up and nipped him.

"Not your turn, Ragen." Owen told him.

Ragen's body shifted and he turned human. He was the shade of dark brown as Renee and they both had brown hair, Ragen's around his ears. He had a mole near his left eye. They were hazel. "My turn now!"

"Ragen, behave!" Renee scolded. Ragen whimpered.

"Uh…" I looked at them.

"Alexander, these are your spirit children. Your magic impregnated Sanuye and Renee." Owen explained.

Alex's POV End


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Ragen and Zara

Adri's POV

"My what?" He frowned.

"Spirit children, they're made from your magic. No mortal contraceptives can stop magic." Owen explained. "However, this does not happen without a reason. So think Alexander, what could have spurred your magic to take action?"

He thought, his brow wrinkling. "… Ah, damn it."

"What?" Fox asked.

"I wanted someone to protect and care for Talia. You know, keep her safe? And be loyal to us. Crude, I called them servants." He groaned.

"Gimme Mistress, my turn now!" Ragen told Owen.

"Be nice." He handed Tai to him.

Alex's face turned red and he swore softly. I thought I heard the word 'grandmother' mentioned.

"It's ok, Xander. Puck explained Avalon's culture to us." The copper skinned woman reassured.

"We kinda figured it out when they didn't call her Princess." The brown haired woman looked at Tai sympathetically. Puck also must of told them what happened before they left. She pursed her lips in thought before deciding on something.

Ragen soothed her as she got used to him. His tail swished as she rested her head on his shoulder. He gently stroked her hair. Zara went to them and licked Tai's hand. She whined, tugging on Ragen's denim jacket.

"Mine!" Ragen growled.

Zara barked at him.

"Behave or none of you get to cuddle Mistress." Owen reprimanded. They whimpered.

"Shouldn't she be their aunt?" Fox looked at them.

"If they had come from Alexander's reproductive DNA, then she would be their aunt. But no, she is not." Owen had a slightly annoyed look on his face.

"Does it have to be reproductive DNA?" Xanatos asked.

"No, it's just the most… likely." Puck answered.

"I don't get it." I said.

"Magic acts similarly to blood, but it is not the same. Its potency deteriorates much faster when inactive. Even though Alexander's magic is active, Ragen's and Zara's relation to their grandmother, Titania, will be weaker because half of a quarter is an eighth. They are not related to Talia and are thusly her subjects." He said.

"How come Zara is a fox?" I asked.

"Zara just likes being a fox. Turn human, Zar-zar." The copper skinned woman encouraged.

Zara yipped and changed back. She looked a lot like her mother. She had the same copper skin with a yellow undertone and freckles across her nose and upper cheeks. Her black hair, also in a ponytail, was thicker. Zara had medium brown eyes though.

"Why…" Alex started.

"Do they look so similar? Your magic filled in the gaps. It can be very lazy when unfocused." Owen explained.

"Tired." Tai mumbled.

"Adriana, come with me." Owen said.

He led us to Tai's room. Regan and Zara were walking side by side, trying to get her to sleep. They both wanted to be near Tai. We were behind them.

"Ragen and Zara will be like this until she shows some improvement." He frowned.

"Ok. How old are they? Oh, when were they born?" I asked.

"They're 18 and will age at a similar rate to Talia. You were gone for a whole Avalon day. They were born a few days before you came home. The magic they were made with gave them some knowledge and instincts." He said.

"…Wait, are they related to each other?" I frowned.

"Zara and Ragen aren't related because their mothers are different. They are distantly related to Titania because the magic has thinned. Talia is adopted; she doesn't carry any Xanatos blood." Owen explained again. I nodded. I guess he thought it was that important. It made sense.

"Magic is weird." I told him.

"I've heard that before." Puck sighed.

We made it to Talia's room. Ragen took Tai's shoes off and Zara dug through the drawers. She pulled out her night clothes.

"No, Zara. I'll do it." Owen took them.

She looked at him warily, but gave him them. He redressed her then Puck kissed us good night. Then Owen led Ragen and Zara to the door. They whined.

"They would like to know if it is ok for them to stay with you." He sighed.

"Uh huh." Tai grabbed at them.

Zara sat in the desk chair. Ragen stayed where he was. Tai mumbled sleepily, there was a soft scent of something in the air, and she laid on me. I petted her hair. Their tails settled down then we fell asleep. When I woke up, Tai and Zara were gone. I sat up. Ragen had at some point sat down and fell asleep. He sniffed the air.

"Where's Mistress?" He frowned.

"She probably went potty. She'll be back soon." I told him.

"Where's Zara?" He asked.

"I don't know." I shrugged.

"Ok." He paused. "Are you Mistress's mate?"

"Mate? I dunno." I frowned.

Ragen narrowed her eyes then he tilted his head. His fox ears flicked to the door. It pushed opened and Zara and Tai walked in. Tai was slouched, but her eyes seemed a bit more attentive.

"Did you take Mistress potty?" He asked.

"Yeah." Zara nodded.

"Children, it's dinner time." Owen announced.

"Ok." I said.

Zara turned around. We got up. Owen carried Tai out. He led us to the dining hall. The Xanatoses, Zara's and Ragen's mom were waiting for us. We were seated on the same side. Ragen waved at his mom. Owen stayed standing.

"We have decided that Ragen and Zara will stay in the castle. Sanuye, Renee, you are welcome to stay as well-" He started.

"I'll just stay for bit until Ragen is settled. What about you, Sanuye?" Renee asked, cutting Owen off.

"Yeah, that was my plan too." She agreed.

"However, there is one thing I would like to address before we begin dinner. Adriana, would you like to have martial arts here?" He asked, looking at me.

"Huh?" I said.

"Everyone on Avalon knows you're close to Talia now. We thought it would be best you knew how to defend yourself." Alex chimed in.

"Uh, sure." I shrugged.

"Is that all, Owen?" Mister Xanatos asked.

"Yes, sir." He sat.

We were served some potato soup. Everyone ate. When the main course came, roast chicken with honey glaze, Ragen and Zara chewed the bones. Alex was surprised. Dessert was fudge brownies and ice cream. But my thoughts kept drifting back to the Avalon comment. Why would someone want to hurt Tai like that?

Adri's POV End


End file.
